** At the time he played his last game at Nichols this season, Aidan Horan was on pace for All-Centercourt honors. It's unknown how things would have turned out or exactly which team he would have landed on, and I didn't want to take someone else's spot in the top 25.....however, the season he had through 15 games warranted recognition, which he is getting here in his own space. His game had improved tremendously this season. He was a four-year varsity player making all the right basketball plays without forcing anything and became a true team leader with exceptional body language on and off the court, which translated into his talents & 6-5 athletic frame reaching their true potential. Even his attitude after learning his season had ended, could not have displayed more positively. **

Kegs was so good coming off the bench to boost the Canisius lineup that head coach Kyle Husband couldn't keep him out of the starting lineup at season's end when the Crusaders were securing another Manhattan Cup. An all-around talent with a smooth jumper from mid range and a beast on the boards with five games over nine rebounds, he saved some of his best performances for the toughest opponents. Against Niagara Falls, Kegs scored a season-high 18 points with five boards and four steals, while banging three big shots from downtown. Against Health Sciences, he scored a team-high 15 points and took Game MVP honors at the Centercourt Classic. In a Valentine's Day rivalry game, he scored 13 points and pounded the glass for a career-high 15 rebounds to help put St. Joe's down. And in a drubbing of Aquinas, he was the maestro, dishing out nine dimes in the game while continuing to clean the glass for 12 boards.

All-Centercourt Defenders

First Team

Avion Harris - Cardinal O'Hara, Senior

Shane Cercone - Canisius, Freshman

JaVaughn Jones - Health Sciences, Junior

Daesean Ashley - St. Joe's, Senior

Tariq Eubanks - Tapestry, Junior

Second Team

Jabari Spencer - Health Sciences, Senior

Keyunte Jones - Middle College, Senior

John Orogun - Park, Senior

Noah Fox - North Tonawanda, Senior

Kaleb Steward - Randolph, Senior

Third Team

Keith Brown - Middle College, Senior

Ben Giardini - Allegany-Limestone, Senior

Anthony Mack - South Park, Senior

Gabe McCoy - Randolph, Sophomore

Kaleb Rybij - Fredonia, Senior

Centercourt #BOOM Squad

Massai Graham - Tapestry, Sophomore

Roddy Gayle - Lew-Port, Sophomore

Cam Barmore - Panama, Senior

Anthony Smith - Middle College, Junior

Nick Whitfield - Fredonia, Sophomore

John Orogun - Park, Senior

Jalen Bradberry - Park, Junior

Daciare Riley - Health Sciences, Senior

Deshaun Brown - Health Sciences, Senior

Tyler Smith - Health Sciences, Senior

Dewayne Vass - Canisius, Senior

Demarri Jones - Jamestown, Junior

Jaylen Stewart - Amherst, Senior

Cal Shifflet - Williamsville East, Senior

Jamond Jones - Middle college, Senior

Coach of the Year

John Otto, Lancaster

An offseason shoulder surgery caused him many sleepless nights to think about an upcoming season that had a lot potential, but would also present a lot of challenges. But those were challenges you could project, like how ultra-competitive the league in ECIC I would be, or how big bad Niagara Falls was always waiting there in Class AA, or how another extended championship football season would once again delay truly getting down to business on the hardwood. And while in and out of restless sleep, he dreamed of this being the team that would end a 61 year Section VI title drought, but never dreamed of all that he'd have to overcome to get it.

On January 16, 2020, Otto learned that his brother had died unexpectedly. One night later, he was on the bench coaching his team at Williamsville North. Lancaster saw its seven-game win streak end that night. Two more losses would follow over the next five games. The team would ultimately finish the regular season tied for third place in league play and entered the postseason as the #5 seed, meaning they'd be on the road in the playoffs. The place they'd need to win to keep fighting was Williamsville North.

Trailing by nine points in the second half, the Legends dug in and gutted out a win in a hard-hitting battle to avenge the earlier road defeat, win the rubber-match over the Spartans, and advance to the Class AA Semifinals at Buff State. Their prize? A date with top-seeded Niagara Falls - the four-time defending champion.

Trailing the Wolverines, who came in as the 5th ranked large school in WNY, by four points entering the final frame, the unranked Legends would outscore the #1 seed 20-8 over the final eight minutes to claim a 65-57 victory. It would be Otto's second trip to Championship Saturday in four seasons, as Lancaster advanced to the Class AA Final to face Orchard Park - the last team that had defeated Lancaster less than three weeks prior.

In a classic slugfest, before a spectacular afternoon crowd on the big stage at Buff State, Lancaster once again trailed during the second half and well into the fourth quarter. But in a season of overcoming obstacles, this was just one last opportunity to come together as a team and make some history. As the final minutes of the game unfolded, Lancaster completely turned the momentum in its favor and pulled away, allowing the coach and the team just enough time to absorb before the final buzzer sounded, the magnitude of the moment. That #5 seed who stuck together through some very difficult moments turned out to be a team of destiny. The streak was over. The Legends were Section VI basketball champions in Class AA!

As with any overcoming any long drought, the celebration was special. It was emotional. It was inspirational. The sense of true team accomplishment was never more evident to me as it all unfolded. And the man who is incredibly beloved by his players for reasons that extend well past basketball and into the sense of family he instilled with that group, is the man who has earned this year's honor. Lancaster's John Otto is the 2020 Centercourt Coach of the Year.

Sunday, March 01, 2020

(Sam Capen and Newfane crash the poll party after a big win over Maritime on Saturday)

Large Schools

1. Health Sciences (A2) - The Falcons marched past West Seneca East on the final day of February to reach the Class A2 Semifinals, where they'll take on South Park at 7:45 pm on Thursday.

2. Canisius (A) - On Tuesday night, the Crusaders will play in the Manhattan Cup championship game for the 10th time in the last 12 years.

3. Park (A) - Falling to the #3 spot for now as the postseason that they aren't part of begins to unfold. It's a difficult situation and I feel badly for the players & coaches who performed all season with the team. But the postseason is special. It elevates the status of the teams & players that climb the mountain and deserve to be rewarded for that success.

4. St. Joe's (A) - After reaching 20 wins for the first time since 2013, the Marauders will try to win the Manhattan Cup for the first time since 2008.

5. Niagara Falls (AA) - Made it past Frontier to once again return to Buff State, where they'll face a tough team from Lancaster on Tuesday night. A five-peat is now two wins away.

6. Jamestown (AA) - A third win on the season against Orchard Park is now needed to reach the Class AA Final after earning that in the quarterfinals over Clarence.

7. Orchard Park (AA) - A third straight season to Buff State for the Quakers after defeating Lockport and hoping to avoid a third straight loss to Jamestown for a date in the Class AA Final.

8. Amherst (A2) - The Tigers topped Williamsville South on Friday night for the third time and are once again a final four team in Class A2 where they'll take on a new face in the classification and an old face in the WNY postseason from East High on Thursday night.

9. Lancaster (AA) - The postseason begins with a trip to Williamsville North on Saturday. The Legends defeated North by double figures in the most recent meeting between the two, but lost the first time the teams played in Williamsville. Only one of them gets to Buff State.

10. Williamsville East (A1) - The #1 seed in Class A1 beat Hamburg for a third time on Friday night and now must defeat the two-time defending champions from West Seneca West to get back to Championship Saturday.

Small Schools

1. Randolph (C2) - The Cardinals advanced back to the semifinals at JCC, where a third win on the season over Salamanca on Tuesday is needed for a fourth consecutive title game appearance.

2. Middle College (C1) - It's back to JCC for the Kats, where they were crowned in 2019 and looking to repeat in Class C1 as they face Chautauqua Lake in Monday's semifinal game.

3. Timon (B) - A strong start against St. Mary's made sure victory was never in doubt on Saturday night, advancing the Tigers to the Woj Cup Final to take on the defending champs.

4. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - Still the champs and looking to stay that way, these Hawks have improved throughout the season and are a win over Timon, who they split with in the regular season, from repeating.

5. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - A quarterfinal rout sends the Gators back to Buff State to begin their title defense in Class B2 against CCAA I West for Fredonia on Tuesday.

6. Tapestry (C1) - Another team that reached the semifinals by way of rout, the Thunderhawks now face Silver Creek on Monday night at JCC, a team they've seen a few times before over the years.

7. Fredonia (B2) - It's tough to beat a team three times in a season and Fredonia is a tough team already without any clever cliches. Expect Tuesday night's semifinal against Allegany-Limestone in Class B2 to be a battle.

8. Olean (B1) - I picked them as my sleeper in Class B1 and they proceeded to dump a bucket of water on anyone who was snoozing on the Huskies with a huge win at #2 seed Iroquois in the quarterfinals. They now earn a rematch with Depew in Wednesday's semifinals, a team they defeated in the regular season.

9. Bennett (B1) - The Tigers are back at Buff State for the first time since 2011 after knocking off Medina in the quarterfinals and now face East Aurora in the Class B1 semifinals.

10. Newfane (B2) - The league champs from the N-O picked up a big win in the quarterfinals over a Maritime team that was playing great basketball. The Panthers now have a chance to reach a Section VI title game for the third time in four seasons on Tuesday night, but will need to beat the top seed in Class B2 from Olmsted to make that happen.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

The eleventh state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

Niagara Falls #27

Class A

Park #5

Health Sciences #6

Canisius #8

St. Joe's #15

Class B

Timon #14

Allegany-Limestone #15

Fredonia #17

Class C

Randolph #2

Middle College #6

Tapestry #11

Westfield #19

Class D

Panama #9

According to the rankings...

- The panel was expecting Niagara Falls to beat Lew-Port by more than six points on Wednesday night. After completing Niagara Frontier League play undefeated and winning the championship game over the Lancers for their fifth consecutive victory to improve to 16-4 on the season, the Wolverines drop from #26 to #27 in NYS Class AA.

- Equally unimpressive was Timon's 26-point win over Nichols to secure the #1 seed in the Woj Cup playoffs that begin on Saturday night. The Tigers fell one spot in NYS Class B to #14.

- The hard-line approach from the panel at the NYSSWA rankings continued when it came time to review Allegany-Limestone this week as well. A three-point win over Wellsville from Section V was also a punishable offense, sending the Gators down one spot in NYS Class B from #14 to #15.

- It took a 21-point win over MST Seneca to gain mercy from the panel this week. That's what Fredonia earned in its only game played last week, and while I suspect it was a difficult decision not to continue the trend of dropping WNY teams for winning, they left the Hillbillies alone at #17 in NYS Class B. For now.

- Anything from a 26-point win to a 19-point loss got the same treatment by the panel for Timon, Falls, Allegany-Limestone, and now Tapestry. After Tapestry lost its only game last week at Randolph by 19 points, they fell...you guessed it...one spot in NYS Class C from #10 to #11.

- Chautauqua Lake finished the regular season 5-15 after beating NYS Class C #15 Westfield on Friday night. So if a win drops you one spot...losing to a team in your class that finished with just five wins drops you four spots. It's basic logic people, try to follow along. Westfield is now #19 in NYS Class C.

Monday, February 24, 2020

1. Park (A) - Following Buffalo News reports that the team was not included in postseason brackets released by the NYSAIS, the Pioneers defeated Global Concepts on Wednesday.

2. Health Sciences (A2) - Awaiting the winner of West Seneca East/Lake Shore to begin postseason play in the Class A2 quarterfinals.

3. Canisius (A) - After a lopsided win over Nichols on senior night, the Crusaders have a couple weeks off with a bye straight to the Manhattan Cup championship game.

4. St. Joe's (A) - The Marauders return to action on Saturday night against St. Francis for the right to face Canisius for a third time.

5. Niagara Falls (AA) - The undefeated champions of the Niagara Frontier League took down Lew-Port for a second time on Wednesday and the four-time defending Section VI champs enter sectionals as the #1 seed in Class AA, where they will host Frontier on Saturday afternoon.

6. Jamestown (AA) - The champions of ECIC I earned the sweep over Orchard Park on Monday and will host Clarence for a third meeting between the two after earning the #2 seed in the Class AA bracket.

7. Orchard Park (AA) - Knocked off Lancaster to finish the regular season, following a second loss in less than a week to Jamestown two days prior. The Quakers host Lockport in the Class AA sectionals on Saturday.

8. Amherst (A2) - The Tigers are once again champions of ECIC II and the #1 seed in Class A2, hosting either Cheektowaga or Williamsville South on Friday night.

9. Lew-Port (A2) - Finished the regular season 12-8 following a second loss on the season to Niagara Falls and now await the winner of South Park/Pioneer for a Saturday afternoon quarterfinal in Class A2.

10. Lancaster (AA) - The postseason begins with a trip to Williamsville North on Saturday. The Legends defeated North by double figures in the most recent meeting between the two, but lost the first time the teams played in Williamsville. Only one of them gets to Buff State.

Small Schools

1. Randolph (C2) - The Cardinals are the heaviest favorites to win a Section VI title again this season and will get to work on that against the winner of Global Concepts/Franklinville on Friday, following a week that saw them beat Tapestry by 19 and Iroquois by 14.

2. Middle College (C1) - The Kats host Cattaraugus-Little Valley on Friday night, a team that hasn't won since December 19th. Have mercy.

3. Timon (B) - After defeating Nichols on Sunday night to finish the regular season, the Tigers are the top seed in the Woj Cup playoffs and face St. Mary's on Saturday.

4. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - A third meeting with Nichols awaits the Hawks this Saturday night, for the right to return to the final where they won last season.

5. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - Finished the regular season with a win on Wednesday against Wellsville, and enter the Class B2 sectionals as the #2 seed. They'll draw the winner of Akron/JFK.

6. Tapestry (C1) - The first postseason goal for the Thunderhawks, 14-6 on the season, is to win Class C1. The process begins against Cassadaga Valley on Friday.

7. Fredonia (B2) - A couple big wins to end the regular season included an impressive 22-point victory over Ken West and a 21 point 'W' against MST Seneca. Someone from Class B2 will have their hands full in Fredonia on Saturday.

8. Maritime (B2) - Idle last week, so a friendly reminder that they only lost at Orchard Park by two points in their last game. They begin the postseason against the winner of Southwestern/Eden, looking to advance to a battle at Newfane on Saturday.

9. Olean (B1) - Four straight wins to finish the regular season, including Allegany-Limestone and East Aurora. They'll host the Springville/Burgard winner for the right to take on Iroquois Saturday with a trip to Buff State at stake.

10. Bennett (B1) - Can't wait to see where the Tigers fit into the postseason mix in Class B1. They are the top seed and begin on Saturday against either Medina or Tonawanda.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

The tenth state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

Niagara Falls #26

Class A

Park #5

Health Sciences #6

Canisius #9

St. Joe's #16

Class B

Timon #13

Allegany-Limestone #14

Fredonia #17

Class C

Randolph #2

Middle College #6

Tapestry #10

Westfield #15

Class D

Panama #9

According to the rankings...

- While Niagara Falls has inched back closer to the Top 25 in NYS Class AA, holding down the magical #26 spot this week, ECIC I champion Jamestown still isn't even mentioned with honor among the small cluster of teams just outside the ranked 30. And they should be. So here's my plug - the team I picked to win ECIC I & Class AA back in November has won 10 of its last 11 games, and the loss came in an 11 am game after a two-hour bus ride.

- After heavy sanctions were placed on them for losing games in Florida, Albany Academy is finally ranked #1 in NYS Class A.

- The Health Sciences loss by one-point at the buzzer to Park cost them the Class A regional. Rochester East sits top spots ahead of Health now at #4 in NYS Class A and is the projected state final four rep from the Far West Region. Rochester East is one of the six losses on Park's record, having defeated the Pioneers in OT on January 18th.

- Canisius is #9 in NYS Class A and remains the highest ranked team from the CHSAA, which has them winning a catholic state title.

- The same scenario applies for Timon, ranked #13 in NYS Class B and the projected to win a state title.

- Allegany-Limestone remains the highest ranked team in NYS Class B from the Far west Region, which has the Gators in line for a trip to Glens Falls.

- Randolph is ready for a state championship game in NYS Class C. The Cardinals have now made it all the way up to #2 in NYS Class C. They are now eight spots ahead of Tapestry in the state. The Thunderhawks, who are ranked #10 in the state, visit Randolph tonight.

Monday, February 17, 2020

1. Park (A) - Went into Bennett on Friday and knocked off Middle College by 13 points. The Pioneers finish up their season on Wednesday night at home after adding a game to their schedule against Global Concepts.

2. Health Sciences (A2) - Finished the regular season with a 19-1 mark after three more wins last week by double figures against O'Hara, St. Francis, and Tapestry.

3. Canisius (A) - The Crusaders earned another sweep over St. Joe's to claim the top seed for the Manhattan Cup playoffs, which do not begin for nearly two weeks. In the meanwhile, they'll get reacquainted with the Koessler Center court at Canisius College with a game against Aquinas on Monday, before completing the regular season at Nichols on Wednesday.

4. St. Joe's (A) - The Marauders finished the regular season with a 19-5 record and the #2 seed in the Manhattan Cup playoffs. They'll have two weeks to prepare for a semifinal battle with St. Francis, for the right to take one last swing at Canisius.

5. Niagara Falls (AA) - Picked up wins over North Tonawanda & Niagara Wheatfield last week to stay unbeaten in the Niagara Frontier League, heading into Wednesday's game with Lew-Port.

6. Lew-Port (A2) - Avenged a loss to CSAT last week, before rolling past Bishop Kearney on Saturday afternoon. They'll look to claim a second straight league championship when they face Falls on Wednesday night.

7. Jamestown (AA) - Wins over Orchard Park and Clarence last week have guaranteed the Red Raiders at least a share of the ECIC I league championship. They won't have to share with anyone if they knock off Orchard Park on Monday afternoon.

8. Orchard Park (AA) - It all comes down to this week for OP. The Quakers need wins at Jamestown on Monday and against Lancaster on Wednesday for gives them a share of the league title along with the Red Raiders. A loss in either game hands Jamestown the ECIC I crown outright.

9. Lancaster (AA) - The Legends are 15-4 on the season after earning double-digit wins over Williamsville North & Frontier last week. They finish up the regular season at Orchard Park on Wednesday night.

10. Amherst (A2) - The Tigers earned season sweeps over Williamsville East & Sweet Home last week and can finish the regular season with a 15-5 mark and an ECIC II league title with a home win against Hamburg on Wednesday.

Small Schools

1. Randolph (C2) - The undefeated league champs of CCAA I East are one of two teams from WNY with no area losses. They wrap up the regular season with a pair of tough nonleague tests this week against Tapestry on Tuesday and Iroquois on Friday night.

2. Middle College (C1) - The Kats are now the first team to win three consecutive Yale Cup Trophies since the 60's and did so this season without a league loss!

3. Timon (B) - The Tigers lone Class B loss on the season came at the hands of O'Hara in the rematch, but the Tigers are the only team in the MMA to knock off Canisius.

4. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - The Hawks are hitting their stride at just the right time, as evidenced by wins over Timon, St. Francis, and Middle College in the last three weeks.

5. Tapestry (C1) - The Thunderhawks picked up a pair of double figure wins last week over CSAT & Global Concepts and will look to end the regular season with a bang on Tuesday night against top small school Randolph.

6. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - The champions of CCAA I West finish the regular season on Wednesday against Wellsville before gearing up for a run at another Class B2 title.

7. Fredonia (B2) - Finished second in league play behind the Gators and picked up an impressive win over NFL large school Ken West on Saturday afternoon by 22 points. Fredonia finish 16-4 with a win over MST Seneca this week.

8. Maritime (B2) - After coming up just two points short in a loss at Orchard Park last week, the Commodores are the team no one in Class B2 wants to have to tangle with.

9. Olean (B1) - The Huskies quietly enter the postseason with a 14-6 record after finishing third in CCAA I West. It looks like they'll be the 7th seed in Class B1 and I doubt there's a more dangerous 7th seed in WNY this year!

10. Bennett (B1) - The Yale Cup II champions have won seven straight games entering the postseason and ended league play this year in dominating fashion.

The Chiefs will enter the contest in first place in ECIC III with two league losses. One of those came at the hands of the Wiildcats, who have three losses in the division. It's Depew's chance to knock Iroquois out of sole possession of first place and earn a share with a sweep in hand.

Jamestown @ Orchard Park on Wednesday, February 12th

The Red Raiders & the Quakers enter this week tied for first place in ECIC I, with each team owning two league losses apiece. Jamestown has three league games left, while OP has four ECIC I games remaining. Wednesday night's meeting is the first of two games they will play against each other in a six-day span. The results of the first game will put one of the two at a huge advantage!

Canisius @ St. Joe's on Friday, February 14th

After the Canisius loss at Timon last week, the Crusaders could very well need to extend their winning streak over St. Joe's to 19 games just win the Monsignor Martin Association in Class A. The winner gets a bye straight to the Manhattan Cup Final on Tuesday, March 3rd. Second place draws St. Francis for a third time in the semifinals of the playoffs. Kyle Husband & Gabe Michael will exchange valentines during pregame.

Tapestry vs. Health Sciences on Sunday, February 16th *at D'Youville*

Round One sold out Villa Maria College and treated fans to a wildly entertaining & fast-paced treat. Get your popcorn ready & get there early!

Wednesday, February 05, 2020

The 3rd Annual Centercourt Classic is Saturday, February 8th at Williamsville North High School.

Unfortunately, due to weather, Randolph and Iroquois will not play their game at North as part of the event. It will be rescheduled, with the date and location to be determined.

Also due to weather, Jamestown is unable to make the trip to play North on Friday night and the game has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 8th at 11 am.

The gymnasium will not be cleared after any games. There are no presale tickets. The Williamsville North Basketball Booster Club will provide a full line of concessions throughout all games at the event. And as always, parking is free!

The IAABO Board 53 is providing the event with a third official for all games, which is outstanding on their part! Every big game in the postseason uses a three-man crew and it serves the game better.

Saturday, February 8th

6:15 pm

Canisius Crusaders

vs.

Health Sciences Falcons

- Canisius is the #1 ranked large school in WNY and #2 in NYS Class A. The Crusaders are in first place in the Monsignor Martin Association. They've reached the Manhattan Cup Final in 12 of the last 15 seasons, winning 8 championships. Canisius is led by Third Team 2019 All-Centercourt selection Dewayne Vass. Eric Kegler will be appearing in his third consecutive Centercourt Classic

- Health is the #2 ranked large school in WNY and #3 in NYS Class A. The Falcons have the best record in WNY at 15-1. They reached the NYSPHAA Class B Final Four in back-to-back seasons, prior to being moved up to Class A2 last season. Health Sciences is led by Javaughn Jones, who averages 18 points and 8 assists per game. Jonezy will be appearing in his third consecutive Centercourt Classic

4:30 pm

St. Joe's Marauders

vs.

Lew-Port Lancers

- St. Joe's is the #3 ranked large school in WNY and #12 in NYS Class A. The Marauders are in first place in the Monsignor Martin Association. They lost in overtime of the Manhattan Cup playoffs to eventual CHSAA state champion Park in 2019. The Marauders are led by Fifth Team 2019 All-Centercourt selection Jaden Slaughter, who averages 18.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

- Lew-Port is the #7 ranked large school in WNY. The Lancers are in second place in the Niagara Frontier League. They are the defending Section VI Class A champions. The Lancers are led by First Team 2019 All-Centercourt & Second Team All-State selection Roddy Gayle, who is averaging 29 points & 10 rebounds per game.

2:45 pm

Middle College Kats

vs.

Cardinal O'Hara Hawks

- Middle College is the #1 ranked small school in WNY and #3 in NYS Class C. The Kats are the two-time defending Yale Cup champions and are in first place again this season. They reached the NYSPHAA Class C state championship game in 2019. The Kats are led by Second Team All-State & Fourth Team 2019 All-Centercourt selection Jamond Jones, who is averaging 21 points per game.

- O'Hara is the #7 ranked small school in WNY. The Hawks are in third place in the Monsignor Martin Association. They are the defending CHSAA Class B state champions. O'Hara is led by 2019 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention selection Avion Harris, who is averaging 16.1 points and 5.1 assists per game.

1:00 pm

East High Panthers

vs.

Nichols Vikings

- East has been a ranked large school this season. The Panthers are in third place in Yale Cup I. They won the NYSPHAA Class D state championship in 2018. East is led by 2019 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention selection Danny Carter, who is averaging 17.7 points per game.

- Nichols has been a ranked small school this season. The Vikings are in sixth place in the Monsignor Martin Association. They reached the CHSAA Class B state championship game in 2016, after consecutive appearances in the Manhattan Cup Final, where they were champions in 2014. Nichols is led by junior guard Hugh Purks, who averages 14.1 points per game.

11:00 am

Williamsville North Spartans

vs.

Jamestown Red Raiders

- North has been a ranked large school this season and currently ranked #10 by Centercourt. The Spartans are in third place in ECIC I. They reached the Section VI Class AA Final at Buff State in 2018 and 2019. North is led by Breht Swiech, who averages 19.6 points per game and shoots 50% from downtown.

Jamestown is the #8 ranked large school in WNY. The Red Raiders are in first place in ECIC I. They've reached Buff State in Class AA in 13 of the last 14 seasons, winning 5 Section VI Class AA titles during that span. Jamestown starts five underclassmen, led by Demarri Jones, who averages 16.7 points & 9 rebounds per game.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

A new date & location to be determined

Randolph Cardinals

vs.

Iroquois Chiefs

- Randolph is the #2 ranked WNY small schools and #5 in NYS Class C. The Cardinals are in first place in CCAA I East and undefeated in WNY. They have reached three consecutive Section VI Finals, earning championships in 2017 & 2019. Randolph is led by 2019 First Team All-State & Second Team All-Centercourt selection Tyler Hind, a 2,000 point scorer and the all-time WNY leader in 3-pointers made.

- Iroquois has been ranked this season and entered the 2020 season as the Class B1 favorite. The Chiefs are in first place in ECIC III. They reached the final four at Buff State in Class A2 the last two seasons. Iroquois is led by 2019 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention guard Trey Kleitz, who is averaging 22 points and 6.9 assists per game.

Tuesday, February 04, 2020

The eighth state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

Niagara Falls #30

Class A

Canisius #2

Health Sciences #3

Park #8

St. Joe's #12

Class B

Allegany-Limestone #14

Fredonia #15

Class C

Middle College #3

Randolph #5

Tapestry #10

Westfield #12

Class D

Panama #8

According to the rankings...

- There was nothing they could do to break that tie. After multiple tie-breakers that included an intense bout of Rock-Paper-Scissors and a even a quick-draw western duel after 10 paces, Niagara Falls and Christ the King were still tied at the coveted #30 spot in NYS Class AA. Rumors of a Pay-Per-View scrimmage between the two are flooding social media this morning. Stay tuned.

- If St. Joe's beat Christ the King by 12 points, they would remain #12 in NYS Class A

- Randolph is thought of highly by the panel at its #5 spot in NYS Class C. Allegany-Limestone only moved down three spots to #14 in NYS Class B for it's 10-point loss to the Cardinals.

- The name Olean still strikes fear into people. On January 21st, Fredonia was ranked #20 in NYS Class B and two days later, they lost to Allegany-Limestone at home by 13 points. They fell three spots to #23 in the January 28th rankings for that loss. Then on January 30th, they defeated unranked Olean at home by 7 points and jump up eight spots to #15 in NYS Class B. It might be an unprecedented jump in rankings for a win over an unranked team. Next Halloween, don't say boo. Say Olean.

- Timon needs a win over Olean. The Tigers were #21 in NYS Class B, but after a one-point loss in the rematch to O'Hara, the team that went into Canisius and took them to overtime, is now unranked.

- Westfield's first loss of the season, 12-point loss to Frewsburg (who wasn't even a state Honorable Mention team), was a complete non-issue. Westfield stayed right where they were, #12. Frewsburg earned a mention out of the deal though.

Monday, February 03, 2020

1. Canisius (A) - Downed O'Hara & St. Francis last week to stay unbeaten in WNY. Tuesday night the Crusaders head to Timon - a team that pusjed them to overtime on their floor in round one. Then on Saturday night, it's #2 vs. #3 in NYS Class A and #1 vs. #2 in the Buffalo News large school poll, as Canisius battles undefeated Health Sciences at Williamsville North in the Centercourt Classic.

2. Park (A) - After an entire month without a game in WNY, the Pioneers are back in action locally, as they face the undefeated Falcons from Health Sciences, who are ranked ahead of them in NYS Class A. Then on Thursday night, Bishop Kearney visits.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - Stayed undefeated with a win over East last week, heading into the biggest week of the regular season for the Falcons. Monday night they play at Park and then meet Canisius on Saturday night in the headliner of the Centercourt Classic at Williamsville North, 6:15 pm. Big, big week for Health!

4. St. Joe's (A) - Coming off a big week that included victories over NYS Class AA Top 25 teams in UPrep and Niagara Falls. They have home games against Nichols & St. Francis this week, ahead of a Centercourt Classic rematch with Lew-Port on Saturday at Williamsville North, 4:30 pm.

5. Niagara Falls (AA) - Defeated Lew-Port on Tuesday night to stay unbeaten in NFL play, before falling at St. Joe's on Friday night. The Wolverines are at Ken West on Friday night and host Lockport on Saturday afternoon.

6. Amherst (A2) - Took Williamsville South down in a rout on Wednesday night and then needed overtime on Friday against West Seneca East to win their sixth in a row and stay unbeaten in ECIC II.

7. Lew-Port (A2) - The Lancers are hopeful for Roddy Gayle's return to the lineup and will look to end a three-game skid this week with league games against Grand Island and Ken East, before taking on St. Joe's on Saturday in the Centercourt Classic at Williamsville North.

8. Jamestown (AA) - The Red Raiders are now winners of five straight after defeating Lancaster & West Seneca West. They travel to Frontier on Monday and then have a date with Williamsville North on Friday night in the Centercourt Classic.

9. Orchard Park (AA) - Bounced back from a loss to Lancaster the week prior to avenge a loss to West Seneca West and then sweep Williamsville North in a hard fought battle on Friday night. Games with Frontier & Clarence await the Quakers this week.

10. Williamsville North (AA) - A big week ahead for the Spartans with three home games. On Monday night they host Cheektowaga. Wednesday night is the championship game of the Five Guys Tournament that was postponed from late December, against district rival Williamsville East. Then on Friday night, they host the Centercourt Classic and Jamestown.

Small Schools

1. Middle College (C1) - Stayed undefeated in Yale Cup I with wins over South Park & City Honors last week. On Saturday afternoon, The Kats take on the defending CHSAA state champions from Cardinal O'Hara in the Centercourt Classic at Williamsville North, 2:45 pm.

2. Randolph (C2) - After gaining wins over Ellicottville & Salamanca last week, the Cardinals staked their claim as the top small school in the Southern Tier with a dominant defensive performance in a double figure win over Allegany-Limestone. On Friday night, Randolph plays Iroquois in the Centercourt Classic at Williamsville North, in what should be a great game at 6 pm.

3. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - The Gators lost their first game against WNY competition at Randolph on Saturday. They are unbeaten and in first place in CCAA I West, with a big rematch at Olean looming on Monday night.

4. Timon (B) - Fell by one point in the rematch with Cardinal O'Hara on Friday night. This week the Tigers will try to make some noise when they host Canisius on Tuesday and then welcome in Nichols on Friday.

5. Tapestry (C1) - Bounced back against Global Concepts after a loss at Clarence earlier in the week. Monday night, the Thunderhawks seek to even the score with Maritime.

6. Fredonia (B2) - Moved into sole possession of 2nd place in CCAA I West after a strong finish against Olean in a win that saw Tyler Putney can eight 3-pointers and score 30 points. Fredonia is at Dunkirk on Monday and hosts Chautauqua Lake Thursday night.

7. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - Recent wins over Timon and Nichols, along with significant strides in rematches with Canisius & St. Joe's, have the Hawks back in the rankings. A win on Monday night over St. Francis would be big, ahead of Thursday's rematch with St. Mary's. On Saturday, O'Hara takes a swing at the top ranked small school in WNY when they face Middle College in the Centercourt Classic at Williamsville North.

8. Maritime (B2) - The Commodores are 8-1 in their last nine outings, heading into a big rematch on Monday night with Tapestry, who they defeated by two points on January 22nd.

9. Bennett (B1) - Won games over Buffalo Arts & I-Prep last week by 42 & 47 points! The Tigers have three more Yale Cup II games this week, looking to stay in first place.

10. Olean (B1) - The Huskies couldn't hang on to their lead at Fredonia late in the fourth quarter on Thursday night and slipped into 3rd place in CCAA I West. On Monday night, they host the team at the top of the division when neighboring rival Allegany-Limestone visits.

After two months of speculation and debate over how the area's top teams are ranked and who deserves to be considered the #1 team in WNY, we have a week that provides three big games that should provide some clarity...for now!

Canisius, Park, and Health Sciences are all undefeated against competition from WNY. Heck, Health Sciences is unbeaten, period. The only area team that remains unblemished to this point. I've kept the Falcons ranked behind Canisius & Park all season because they've never beaten either team in program history and we knew this week was coming. With the Falcons battling at Park & against Canisius in the same week, we'll at least have them as a common opponent to help answer which team might be better between those two, and where Health stands between them.

Then there's St. Joe's, who has lost to both Canisius & Health Sciences - but no one else from the area. Both losses were close games. On Friday night, St. Joe's defeated the #5 ranked large school in Niagara Falls to reinforce what most have thought to this point - we have a clear Top 4 in WNY: Canisius, Park, Health, & St. Joe's.

Enter Lew-Port. In last season's Centercourt Classic, the Lancers pounded St. Joe's by 30 points. Saturday's rematch between the two is an opportunity for the Marauders to show how far they've come as a program in one year. Unless, of course, Lew-Port makes the most of its opportunity to show WNY that the Top 4 teams aren't as clear as anyone thought and they are peaking at the right time. The Lancers showed last week they can be a formidable squad even without Roddy Gayle in the lineup. But with a special talent of Gayle's caliber leading the team, Lew-Port can play with anyone, as they proved en route to capturing the overall Section VI Class A title in 2019.

It's the biggest week of the regular season and all the big dogs are lowering their heads to size each other up. It's the 'Game of the Week' plural style!

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The seventh state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

Niagara Falls #23

Class A

Canisius #2

Health Sciences #3

Park #8

St. Joe's #12

Class B

Allegany-Limestone #11

Timon #21

Fredonia #23

Class C

Middle College #3

Randolph #5

Tapestry #9

Westfield #12

Class D

Panama #8

According to the rankings...

- They don't really believe their own rankings. They don't really believe Canisius is #2, they think that's too high. They don't really believe Albany Academy is #4, they think AA is even better than that. There's really no other explanation, based on last week's results. St. Joe's falls from #8 to #12 in NYS Class A for losing by four points at #2 Canisius. Park falls just one spot, from #7 to #8 for losing by 21 points at #4 Albany Academy. Think about that for a moment. They don't believe their own rankings. I'll bet if it was the other way around and Park only lost by 4 points at Albany Academy, they'd have stayed at #7 or even moved up. If Albany Academy is thought of that highly (which they should be), then just rank them #1 already, because the way those results were handled lacks logic otherwise...according to the rankings!

- Niagara Falls is really ranked. Now #23 in NYS Class AA, which is up from the 'feel good' #28 spot that doesn't even exist in Top 25 rankings or in the NYSSWA State Rankings when they debut each year. I still don't understand the magic of expansive & inclusive rankings, but I guess I should just be happy Falls has officially cracked the Top 25, which I am. Maybe I should expand the large school poll to 14 next week so I can include Will East, Will North, Lancaster, & Frannies.

- Allegany-Limestone is the 7th best public school in NYS Class B.

- It's now a Middle College vs. Randolph Class C crossover game that sends the Kats back to states, where they fall one round earlier than last season. Tapestry dropped from the #2 spot in NYS Class C all the way to #9 and behind both Randolph (#5) and Middle College (#3).

- Section V has the D's. Following Panama's second loss of the season at Maple Grove, the Panthers are no longer #1 in NYS Class D, falling all the way to #8. That means no more state championship and not even a regional victory. Section V's Avoca now has the highest ranked Class D team in the Far West Region. My buddy Tracy may never let me live this one down if the rankings hold true in March.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

The sixth state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

Niagara Falls #28

Class A

Canisius #2

Health Sciences #3

Park #7

St. Joe's #8

Lew-Port #27

Class B

Allegany-Limestone #14

Timon #19

Fredonia #20

Class C

Tapestry #2

Middle College #4

Randolph #6

Westfield #14

Class D

Panama #1

According to the rankings...

- It's a Niagara Falls vs. Orchard Park Class AA Final in Section VI this season. The Wolverines moved up two spots this week in NYS Class AA to #28, while Orchard Park is the only other WNY Class AA team appearing in Honorable Mention.

- Timing is everything. Albany Academy has moved back ahead of Park in NYS Class A because the Pioneers have the most recent loss between the two after falling at East High of Rochester on Saturday night. That would take Park back out of the Federation Tournament as the AIS representative.

- Park's losses have rightfully been put into perspective. They are the only team among the Top 10 with five losses on the season, and McQuaid is the only one that could be considered a bad loss. The loss at NYS Class A #6 East (Rochester) has them tucked right behind them at #7.

- Half of the Top 8 teams in NYS Class A hail from WNY.

- Saturday's 'Game of the Week' between Canisius & St. Joe's is a defacto CHSAA Class A state championship game, as they are the two highest ranked Class A catholic teams.

- WNY's Class B got a lot better in just one week. We went from one team in the Top 20 (Allegany-Limestone was #20 last week) to three teams in the Top 20 this week.

- Allegany-Limestone goes to Glens Falls in Class B, after defeating the Albion/Olean winner in the crossover, and Hornell in the Far West Regional.

- Timon is going to the Federation Tournament in Class B and will own the CHSAA state champion title currently held by defending champion O'Hara.

- It was a quiet week at the top in NYS Class C. All four ranked ranked teams from WNY (Tapestry, Middle College, Randolph, & Westfield) remained in the same order within the top 14 teams.

Monday, January 20, 2020

1. Canisius (A) - The Crusaders pulled out a win over visiting Niagara Falls on Saturday afternoon in a 32-minute battle! Now they'll get visits from Timon on Monday and St. Mary's on Wednesday, ahead of this coming Saturday against rival St. Joe's. Presale tickets only for that one. Details in the 'Game of the Week' write up.

2. Park (A) - Completed a marathon stretch of games with a convincing win at Aquinas on Monday night, before falling in overtime at East High in Rochester on Saturday night.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - One of two remaining undefeated teams in WNY will get their chance to prove they should be ranked higher soon enough with game against the teams above them still to come. But the week ahead will be tough enough with South Park and Tapestry on the slate.

4. St. Joe's (A) - Picked up three league wins last week, all on the road, that including a survival victory at St. Francis that was pulled out in the final minute. It's rivalry week for the Marauders, looking to snap a 17-game skid against Canisius on Saturday.

5. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines were so close to knocking off the Crusaders on Saturday and held a lead for the majority of the game. Falls is the lone unbeaten team in the Niagara Frontier League at 7-0 and have the week off to prepare for Lew-Port on Tuesday the 28th.

6. Lew-Port (A2) - Five straight double figure victories for the Lancers after knocking off North Tonawanda & Lockport last week. There's a tough one coming up for them on Wednesday, when the #1 small school from Middle College pays a visit.

7. Orchard Park (AA) - The Quakers are tied in first place in ECIC I, coming off a 12-point win over Clarence. They look to stay on top with a Saturday afternoon trip to Lancaster.

8. Amherst (A2) - The Tigers picked up wins on consecutive days over the weekend, winning a Friday night tilt against Sweet Home and then knocking off McKinley with a strong finish at the MLK Classic. Their next opponent is the two-time defending Yale Cup champs from Middle College on Friday night in the feature game of Bob Hettler Showcase.

9. McKinley (A1) - Battled with Amherst all game on Saturday, before slipping late. Two more big nonleague games await at the end of the coming week, with the Macks' annual meetings against Jamestown (Thursday on the road) and Williamsville North (Friday at the Bob Hettler Showcase).

10. CSAT (A2) - It's time to give the Eagles a little love. They have just one league loss in the Niagara Frontier League and that came at Niagara Falls. They also own wins over a pair of teams that defeated North Tonawanda - Batavia & Ken East. Keep it going Senor Hoyos!

Small Schools

1. Middle College (C1) - Picked up a pair of double-digit wins last week against East High and fellow Top 10 small school Nichols. Now the Kats hit the road for a pair of games this week against Top 10 large schools, visiting Lew-Port on Wednesday and Amherst on Friday.

2. Tapestry (C1) - The Thunderhawks got a visit from one of the Section's better teams in Class C when Ellicottville came up on Wednesday and they beat them by 32 points! They've got three fun ones coming this week with games at Bennett & Maritime and then a big one against Health Sciences, which will be played at Villa Maria on Saturday at 5:30 pm.

3. Randolph (C2) - The seven-game win streak by the Cardinals includes wins last week by 51 & 60 points. The crazy part - 60 points isn't even their biggest win this year.

4. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - Speaking of dominating performances...I got my first look at the Gators on Saturday and they are legit. Coming off 21 & 37 point victories last week, the Gators took Hutch-Tech down in the MLK Classic after winning the second quarter 30-0. Thursday night, they travel to Fredonia for the rematch after scoring an important and decisive win in the first round.

5. Timon (B) - The Tigers stayed unbeaten against the Class B competition in the MMA with a strong second half at Nichols on Friday that led to a 16-point win. After a MLK Day visit to Canisius, Timon hosts the rematch with St. Francis on Wednesday and welcomes in St. Mary's to finish the week on Friday.

6. Fredonia (B2) - Four straight wins for the Hillbillies, all by double figures, including a 41-point walloping of Southwestern that saw Tyler Putney connect on nine 3-pointers in a 40-point outburst. A win on Thursday night against visiting Allegany-Limestone would pull them even with the Gators for first place in CCAA I West.

7. Nichols (B) - Fell to Timon & Middle College over the weekend, both teams that have held rank above the Vikings throughout the season. They'll look to get back on track against Hutch-Tech on Tuesday, ahead of an important league game against Cardinal O'Hara on Saturday afternoon.

8. Westfield (C2) - Head coach Bob North earned his 400th career win last week in a win over Brocton and followed that up with #401 as the Wolverines survived a late-game rally attempt by Sherman to improve to 11-0 on the year.

9. Maritime (B2) - The Commodores have no bad losses this season, but they did earn two more quality wins over the weekend, defeating both Williamsville South and Olmsted. They play a measuring stick type of game against Tapestry on Wednesday, before an interesting matchup at Bennett on Friday night - a team they beat by five earlier in the season.

10. Albion (B1) - The Purple Eagles are alone in first place of the N-O League after knocking off Newfane & Roy-Hart last week to improve to 9-2 on the season. They are one of seven teams left without a loss to another WNY team heading into their rematch at Medina on Friday night.

It's the most excited I've been for a game all season and now it's less than one week away! The rivalry that is considered to be the biggest and most historic among any in all of WNY appears ready to deliver! There was a time not long ago when getting into the Canisius vs St. Joe's game required planning. You either purchased a presale ticket, or arrived early enough to watch some or all of the freshmen game before the JV teams even came out for warmups.

But then an era of Crusader dominance over St. Joe's basketball began. Canisius swept the series in 2013, along with every subsequent season since. Seven straight years of sweeping the Marauders, including last season. The last time St. Joe's beat Canisius was at home on January 27, 2012 by a score of 78-72. I was there. Since that day, Canisius has won 17 straight games over St. Joe's.

Over the course of the Canisius win streak, some of the luster came off of the rivalry. The hottest ticket in town became one you arrive at just before tip and buy your ticket at the door for. Just two seasons ago in 2018, Canisius won its two games over St. Joe's by a combined 88 points.

However, last season, Canisius won the two games by a combined 9 points - a three point road win and a six-point home win in a game they trailed by double figures. While Canisius is currently ranked #1 in WNY this season, the Marauders are not far behind, and piling up some very similar results.

Having both teams viewed as two of the best in the area and the top two teams in the MMA has made the rivalry game once again the hottest ticket in town. So hot this year in fact, that the only way you'll see it is by purchasing a presale ticket. There will be nothing available at the door. Tickets can be purchased for $5 at the Canisius Reception Desk beginning Tuesday, January 21st, or at either of the Canisius home games this week on Monday vs Timon or Wednesday vs St. Mary's. Don't miss out on your chance to watch the 'Game of the Week'!

2. Park (A) - Played some nationally ranked grown men in a Toronto on Friday without John Orogun and suffered their worst loss in years. However, the following night they defeated Boys & Girls of NYC who came in ranked #12 in NYS Class AA, for their best NYS win of the season, in a game they led throughout. Sunday afternoon the Pioneers fell to Brooklyn Collegiate, ranked #6 in NYS Class AA.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - One of two remaining undefeated teams in WNY at 11-0 after rolling past Maritime & West Seneca West last week. I'm thinking BASCS is in big trouble on Saturday.

4. St. Joe's (A) - Picked up a second 40-point win in their last three games at St. Mary's on Tuesday night. The busy week ahead holds three road trips to Timon, Nichols, & St. Francis.

5. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines have won their last two NFL games by an average margin of 44 points heading into a game at Ken East on Tuesday. Saturday afternoon at Canisius will be a great test for the Wolverines.

6. Lew-Port (A2) - Wins over Ken West & Niagara Wheatfield made it four in a row for the Lancers. This week they host fellow Top 10 large school North Tonawanda, along with the team who made a splash at the BSN Sports NFL/ECIC Challenge in Lockport.

7. Orchard Park (AA) - The Quakers registered a big win at Williamsville North last week and followed it up with a 33-point thumping of Frontier. They'll take to the road twice this week - on Tuesday at Clarence and a Friday night battle in Jamestown.

8. North Tonawanda (A1) - Improved to 4-1 in NFL play with their lone loss coming narrowly to first place Niagara Falls. A big one awaits on Tuesday night when the Jacks get their one shot at Lew-Port.

9. McKinley (A1) - A disappointing week for Williamsville North made room for the Macks to get back into the Top 10, on the strength of their comeback win at East High. Staying there will likely hinge on the outcome of Saturday's matchup with Amherst in the MLK Classic.

10. East (A2) - The Panthers rolled past City Honors and South Park last week, before dropping one to Middle College on Friday night. The rematch with the Kats is Wednesday and it's basically a must-win for East's hopes at a Yale Cup title. Saturday night they play Northstar Christian in the finale of the MLK Classic.

Small Schools

1. Middle College (C1) - Two big wins at McKinley and at East have the Kats sitting all alone in first place of Yale Cup I and eyeing a three-peat. The rematch with East is Wednesday night and it's the 'Game of the Week'! At the MLK Classic on Saturday afternoon, Middle College faces Nichols.

2. Tapestry (C1) - Three more wins last week, including an exciting tilt with South Park, has Tapestry (currently ahead of Middle College in the state rankings) out to a 7-1 start. Another Class C team with just one loss visits the Thunderdome on Wednesday when 8-1 Ellicottville makes the trip north.

3. Randolph (C2) - Speaking of one-loss teams in Class C, how about what these Cardinals are doing? A 7-1 start that boasts a tournament title, a 40-point win over CSAT (who has wins against Ken West & Batavia), and now a six-point win over Cardinal O'Hara (Who has wins over East & Amherst). And the loss was on the road against NYS Class A #5 Rochester East in a game they were within a point during the second half.

4. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - The Gators are alone in first place in CCAA I West, the league they just entered. The league that boasts recent Section VI champions Olean, Fredonia, & Chautauqua Lake. And they happen to be the last three wins for the Gators! They face Dunkirk & Southwestern in league action this week and make the trip to Buffalo on Saturday, playing in the MLK Classic against Hutch-Tech.

5. Timon (B) - Defeated Hutch-Tech on Tuesday night, before going into Cardinal O'Hara and taking a leg up on the Hawks in the MMA Class B race. They try to take another one in Class B at Nichols on Friday, after a date with St. Joe's at home on Monday.

6. Fredonia (B2) - The Hillbillies scored a big "first time in a long time" win at Olean last week, and did so by double digits. They also won big over rival Dunkirk. They could make it four straight wins this week against Chautauqua Lake and Southwestern.

7. Nichols (B) - The Vikings didn't like seeing St. Mary's in my Top 10 when they weren't, so after knocking off Bennett and St. Francis, they won at St. Mary's by 20. Big week! Another one coming up with St. Joe's and Timon visiting. You already have my attention with three straight wins. Imagine if...

8. Olean (B1) - The Huskies are coming off a tough week that saw them fall behind in the league standings to two teams (Allegany-Limestone & Fredonia). It's a very unfamiliar spot for the program and the response will be interesting.

9. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - A pair of six-point losses to teams they were ranked ahead of (Randolph & Timon) has the Hawks at their lowest point since 2016. They're at St. Francis and at St. Mary's this week, looking for a much needed victory.

10. Westfield (C2) - The Wolverines are now just one of two undefeated teams left in WNY after knocking off NYS Class D #1 Panama on the road, and it's no accident. This is a good team with balance throughout its starting lineup and I expect to see the winning continue.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The third state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

No teams ranked

Class A

Park #1

Canisius #2

Health Sciences #4

St. Joe's #12

McKinley #21

Class B

Cardinal O'Hara #20

Olean #21

Allegany-Limestone #23

Class C

Tapestry #2

Middle College #4

Randolph #7

Westfield #19

Class D

Panama #1

According to the rankings...

- WNY has 3 of the Top 4 teams in NYS Class A, 3 of the Top 7 teams in NYS Class C, and the best team in NYS Class D.

- WNY wins state titles in NYSPHAA Class A & Class D and CHSAA Class A, while losing state title games in NYSPHAA Class C and CHSAA Class B. And we win the Fed in Class A

- UPrep continues to celebrates its Far West Regional title as the only NYS Class AA team from Section V or Section V to appear in the Top 30

- Williamsville North's 6-0 start doesn't even warrant an Honorable Mention in Class AA. However CSAT's 6-1 start with a 4-1 record against teams in Class B got them an Honorable Mention in Class A, along with the likes of Amherst, Will East, & North Tonawanda.

- St. Joe's is now the fourth best catholic team in NYS Class A after knocking off Jamesville-DeWitt and taking over their #12 spot in the state rankings - a six-spot jump from #18.

- Salesian knocks off the defending CHSAA Class B state champions from Cardinal O'Hara this year

- Olean goes back to states this season in Glens Falls. The Huskies are the highest ranked team from the Far West Region in NYS Class B.

- Allegany-Limestone's loss to unranked Owego Academy last week was more than covered by a win over unranked Susquehanna Valley the following day, as the Gators moved up two spots in the NYS Class B rankings

- Westfield, now the #19 team in NYS Class C, takes on Randolph for the Class C2 title at JCC.

- Panama graduates three starters from the team that lost in the 2019 NYSPHAA Class D state semifinal, but returns the following season to win the state title in 2020. The Panthers now sit atop the NYS Class D state rankings.

- Losing by 21 points at Salamanca and by 15 points at Sherman is one thing. But a three-point loss at JCC to Pine Valley in unacceptable, as Clymer found out. The Pirates were a two-loss team sitting at the #11 spot in NYS Class D last week, but the Pine Valley result got them bounced out completely. Not even an Honorable Mention.

Sunday, December 29, 2019

1. Canisius (A) - The Crusaders head into the championship game of the St. Pius Tournament with a 7-0 record after winning two games in Atlanta last week following a double-digit win over McQuaid. They'll host Cathedral Prep and visit St. Mary's at the end of the week.

2. Park (A) - Improved to 8-2 with a second win at the Blue Star Invitational on Saturday to reach the championship game against Oldham County on Monday. The Pioneers are back in Buffalo on Thursday night with a visit to Orchard Park.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - The Falcons are off to their best start ever after winning the St. Francis Christmas Tournament to begin the 2020 season 8-0. The Health is 3-0 vs. MMA teams, knocked off Middle College & Jamestown, and has won two tournaments already. The next victim is BASCS on Saturday.

4. St. Joe's (A) - Greg Poland's return for the Marauders was an exciting one, as the big man scored the game-winning bucket with one second left at NYS Class A #12 Jamesville-DeWitt on Saturday. St. Joe's hosts O'Hara on Friday and Syracuse CBA on Sunday.

5. McKinley (A1) - The Macks were idle over the holidays coming off an exciting week that sent them crashing the poll party. The team returns to action on Friday against South Park.

6. Amherst (A2) - They were home for the holidays, but the Tigers will travel to Depew on Friday night to take on Lockport in the NFL / ECIC Challenge.

7. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines face their Class AA rivals from Jamestown in the NFL / ECIC Challenge at Depew on Saturday in the 'Game of the Week'!

8. Lew-Port (A2) - In the NFL / ECIC Challenge at Depew on Friday night, Lew-Port plays a nonleague game against Williamsville South.

9. Williamsville East (A1) - The Flames picked up a 22-point win over Olmsted at the Five Guys Tournament on Friday night to improve to 8-1 and have a date with Ken West in the NFL / ECIC Challenge at Depew on Saturday afternoon.

10. Williamsville North (AA) - Jamestown's loss to West Seneca East in the St. Francis Christmas Tournament opened the door for the Spartans to take a place in the Top 10 following a 6-0 start to the season.

Small Schools

1. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - Two losses at the Bishop Ludden Tournament has the Hawks on a three-game skid entering the New Year, and things aren't exactly getting easier with St. Joe's and Bishop Grimes awaiting next weekend.

2. Middle College (C1) - The extended break continues for the Kats this week, who haven't played a game since December 19th.

3. Olean (B1) - The Huskies defeated Pioneer by 13 points on Friday and head to Southwestern this Friday.

4. Tapestry (C1) - The Thunderhawks gotta be climbing the walls by now since they haven't played since December 7th. Back in action on Monday afternoon with a visit from Nichols, before hosting Maple Grove on Saturday.

5. Iroquois (B1) - The Chiefs come off the holiday break with a home game against Sweet Home on Friday night.

6. Timon (B) - Wins over Lackawanna & Bennett made it four straight victories for the Tigers, who visit St. Francis on Friday and host Notre Dame on Sunday.

7. Fredonia (B2) - Wins over Lockport and South Park gave the Hillbillies a tournament championship at Clarence last week, heading into a big CCAA I West battle at Allegany-Limestone on Friday.

8. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - The Gators slip behind Fredonia following their second loss of the season to Owego Free Academy on Friday, before rebounding with a win over Susquehanna Valley. Friday's game with the Hillbillies is a big one.

9. Randolph (C2) - Earned a comeback win in overtime against Southwestern to improve to 3-1 on the season with CSAT coming in to take on the Cardinals this Friday night.

10. St. Mary's (B) - After losing to Williamsville North on Friday night, the Lancers used a big second half to defeat Olmsted for their fifth win of the season. Number six might have to wait a week, with St. Mary's only scheduled game this week against Canisius on Saturday.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The second state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

No teams ranked

Class A

Park #1

Canisius #2

Health Sciences #4

St. Joe's #18

McKinley #23

Class B

Cardinal O'Hara #9

Olean #22

Allegany-Limestone #25

Class C

Tapestry #2

Middle College #5

Randolph #8

Class D

Panama #2

Clymer #11

According to the rankings...

- We have a winner! Last week, it was unclear if the Far West Region would even send a team to Glens Falls in Class AA because there were no teams from that region even represented in the Top 25. Well thanks to the ever expanding rankings, it is now clear that UPrep is the big winner after the rankings went to a Top 30 after week one, and UPrep was quick to snatch up the coveted #29 slot.

- Park and Canisius will play. Thanks to a talent-rich Florida Tournament that Albany Academy picked up its first three losses of the season in, the Cadets plummeted to #10 in the Class A state rankings. Losses are not looked upon kindly, especially three of them. You can get away with one...or even two, as Park found out when it lost its second game of the season on Saturday and then moved up to #1 in NYS Class A. Right behind them though, Canisius. The Crusaders improved to 5-0 with a double figure win over McQuaid, one of Park's two losses, and they are now the #2 team in NYS Class A. So basically, Park & Canisius have a date in Fordham on March 29th...but it gets better...

- Either Park or Canisius will have to first defeat NYSPHAA state champion Health Sciences, now the #4 team in NYS Class A and the highest ranked team in the public school tournament. That's THREE teams from WNY in the Federation Tournament from Class A. They should all do lunch while in the area together.

- The best way to lose is in North Carolina. It worked well for St. Joe's, who jumped up to #18 in NYS Class A after losing its only game of the week. Reports have the team currently looking into possible games in Raleigh late in January.

- McKinley knocks off Williamsville East in the Class A1 Final, before losing to Health Sciences in the Class A crossover -- the first ever meeting between the two programs.

- Cardinal O'Hara's loss to McKinley didn't happen according to the rankings. But according to the records, it did. The Hawks are now 2-2, but remain locked in at the #9 spot in NYS Class B.

- Allegany-Limestone's loss to Bradford did happen according to the rankings. Bradford is a large school program from PA and knocked off Olean in double OT on Sunday night, but beating Allegany-Limestone the night prior caused the Gators to fall two spots to #25.

- Tapestry isn't just going to Glens Falls - they are now playing for a state championship thanks to its #2 Class C ranking in NYS.

- Last week, I suggested the Class C rankings could magically expand to 20 teams from 15 teams. Well, I hope you all believe in magic. Poof...20 teams! However, despite the expansion, no love for Holland and its 4-0 record. Last week, Ellicottville was ranked at 3-0 (a loss to Salamanca on Sunday night knocked them out of the rankings). A 3-0 record is impressive if you're Ellicottville. But 4-0 you ask -- not so much if you're Holland I guess.

- Losing by 15 points to unranked opponents in the same classification is no biggie. Somehow, someway, Clymer is still ranked #11 in NYS Class D. This despite falling to 3-2 after a 15-point loss to unranked Sherman. They are the only two-loss team in the now expanded-to-20-teams Class D rankings.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

1. Canisius (A) - These guys won their last two games by 42 and 32 points...over Lew-Port & Bishop Kearney. The Kearney game was on the road! They also have a 21-point win over McKinley and a 4-0 record. They'll host McQuaid in a pre-holiday matinee on Monday, before taking to the friendly skies en route to Georgia for the three-game St. Pius Christmas Classic.

2. Park (A) - The Pioneers got back on track against Aquinas, surging past them behind a 19-point second half by Jalen Bradberry to win by 19 points. At the Super 16 Showcase in NYC over the weekend, the team went 1-1, losing to Evangel Christian and then defeating Spring Valley. Next up is three games in the Blue Star Holiday Invitational.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - The Falcons picked up a 67-point victory over Lackawanna in their only action last week. They'll do battle with Jamestown for the first time on Friday in the St. Francis Christmas Tournament and have a game with either the hosts or West Seneca East the following day.

4. St. Joe's (A) - The Marauders dropped a game in North Carolina over the weekend and will make the trip to Syracuse to play Jamesville-DeWitt on Saturday.

5. McKinley (A1) - A big, big week for the Macks, earning a pair of attention-grabbing victories on consecutive days! First they go into East and dominate the fourth quarter to comeback from 12 points down and then follow it up with a win over Cardinal O'Hara. McKinley is now 6-1 and also has wins over St. Francis and Williamsville South, with the lone loss coming at Canisius.

6. Amherst (A2) - Finished strong against Hamburg to improve to 3-0 in ECIC II, before heading to North Carolina and splitting the two games they played on the extended road trip.

7. Niagara Falls (AA) - A busy week for Falls included wins over North Tonawanda, Niagara Wheatfield, and Bishop Kearney to make it six straight victories, before losing on Sunday to UPrep.

8. Lew-Port (A2) - Fell at home to CSAT by four points without Roddy Gayle in the lineup. But upon his return three nights later, he dropped 33 points as they cruised past Kenmore East.

9. Williamsville East (A1) - The Flames are now 7-1 after earning wins over Niagara Wheatfield and Iroquois last week. They get a chance to prove they're the best of the Williamsville teams in the Five Guys Tournament at North this week, or risk losing their poll spot and bragging rights to the undefeated Spartans!

10. Jamestown (AA) - Earned the United Way Tournament championship on Saturday with a resounding win over Fredonia. The next tournament the Red Raiders play in could be a different story, as the team heads to Frannies on Friday to take on Health Sciences in the first round of the St. Francis Christmas Tournament.

Small Schools

1. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - Picked up a second signature win in as many weeks by coming back on East from nine points down in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter in a game they trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half. The Hawks are in the Bishop Ludden Tournament following Christmas.

2. Middle College (C1) - Well it looks like the Kats are finding their stride as the first month of the season nears an end. A pair of Yale Cup I victories last week included holding City Honors to just 15 points, before bludgeoning Hutch-Tech by 59 points. Both games were road wins.

3. Olean (B1) - Bounced back from a road loss at Section V Wellsville earlier in the week to clip Coudersport in round one of the Joe DeCerbo Memorial Tournament, before falling to Bradford in double overtime the following evening.

4. Tapestry (C1) - Not a lot to go on yet with the Thunderhawks just three games into the season, with their last game played on December 7th. Double figure wins over Dunkirk & Southwestern, and a four-point loss to Jamestown, with another week off coming up. Tapestry will have a busy couple months coming up and they're hoping March keeps them busy as well.

5. Iroquois (B1) - The Chiefs moved to 4-0 in ECIC III with convincing wins over Pioneer & Maryvale, before getting clipped in a nonleague battle with Top 10 large school Williamsville East on Friday.

6. Timon (B) - After falling to Orchard Park by the same margin Middle College did a couple weeks ago, the Tigers scored consecutive 24-point wins against Olmsted and Starpoint. Over the break, Lackawanna visits on Monday the 23rd and they'll head to Bennett two days after Christmas.

7. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - Suffered their first loss of the season against Bradford in the Joe DeCerbo Memorial Tournament, but came back the following day to defeat Coudersport. They'll travel east to play in a tournament at Onondaga Community College after Christmas.

8. Fredonia (B2) - Wins over CSAT early in the season and St. Mary's last week tell me the Hillbillies are a Top 10 small school, despite getting rolled by 29 points at the hands of Jamestown in the United Way Tournament. Fredonia will face some nice competition in the Clarence Tournament that includes a game with Lockport and then the hosts or South Park.

9. Randolph (C2) - The Cardinals will look to bounce back against Southwestern on Friday after tasting defeat at Rochester East who is 8-0.

10. St. Mary's (B) - Tough call for me here on this last slot. Considered undefeated Holland, but wins over Lackawanna, Olmsted, & North Collins don't speak loudly enough. I considered undefeated Panama, who has three & four point wins over Chautauqua Lake -- but both Silver Creek & Westfield (twice) have beaten those Thunderbirds more handily. I looked Salamanca's way after they knocked off Ellicottville, but comparing them to St. Mary's still had me leaning towards the Lancers. St. Mary's just won the Depew Tournament, which included a big win over East Aurora. I'm placing a higher premium on that over anything the other teams have to this point. Also, St. Mary's lost to Fredonia by five, while Salamanca lost to Allegany-Limestone by 12. Yes, I took that much time looking into this last spot and that's what I came up with. Now St. Mary's gets to play at Williamsville North next in the Five Guys Tournament against a Class AA Spartans team that hasn't lost yet.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The first state rankings for the 2020 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

No teams ranked

Class A

Park #2

Canisius #3

Health Sciences #5

St. Joe's #22

East #24

Class B

Cardinal O'Hara #9

Olean #11

Allegany-Limestone #23

Class C

Tapestry #3

Middle College #6

Randolph #7

Ellicottville #15

Class D

Panama #2

Clymer #8

According to the rankings...

- The Class AA Far West Regional won't be of much interest to the rest of the state. No teams from Section VI or Section V even cracked the Top 25 in the opening rankings, although Rochester does have five AA teams in Honorable Mention. There are only nine public schools outside of NYC in the Class AA Top 25.

- The difference between Class AA and Class A must be pretty significant. Park's loss to a non-Top 25 Class AA team at McQuaid on Friday night was basically viewed as a non-story and had no impact on the rankings. The Pioneers remained in the same #2 spot they'd have been in if they'd won - behind the defending Federation champs from Albany Academy, who they'll face in the postseason in a one-game playoff for the right to reach the Federation Tournament as the NYSAIS representative.

- The #2 and #3 teams in NYS Class A will not play each other twice this year. Or even once. Unless it's for the Class A Federation title.

- The good news is, the #5 team in NYS Class A will play #2 and #3. Health Sciences debuts in the 2020 state rankings higher than they've ever been ranked in just its second year competing as a Class A school.

- St. Joe's is back in the state rankings for the first time in a long time at #22 with losses to the #5 and #8 teams in Class A (Health & Holy Trinity) keeping them from an even higher spot.

- East is good at any level. The Panthers, who have won state titles in Class C & Class D, are a Class A school once again and a Top 25 one at that. And according to these rankings, it's an East vs. Health Sciences Class A2 Final at Buff State.

- The two best Class B squads from WNY are the same ones from last season, just a little farther down the pecking order to begin the year. O'Hara & Olean (#9 & #11 respectively) were top 5 Class B schools all season in 2019.

- Allegany-Limestone wins Class B2 this season - they are the only team from that classification and considered better than the likes of Iroquois, East Aurora, Timon, and Fredonia by the state.

- Tapestry is going to Glens Falls! The Thunderhawks are the highest ranked team from the western region of the state.

- Holland's 16-point win over Olmsted wasn't that impressive. Despite a 3-0 start that includes the before mentioned victory, the Dutchmen didn't crack the top 15. It doesn't mean they won't be ranked later on though - at some point expect the state rankings to magically expand to 20 teams in Class C. For now, only 15 teams are worthy, including the 4-0 Eagles from Ellicottville, who visit Tapestry on Wednesday.

- Panama gets one game closer to heartbreak. The Panthers reached the Class D state semifinal in 2019, but with their #2 ranking to start this season, Panama is now in line to lose the state championship game to defending champion Harrisville.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

(Avion Harris led O'Hara to the biggest win of any small school this season on Friday night over Amherst / Photo: Shawn Turri)

Large Schools

1. Canisius (A) - Coming off of a week in WNY Hoops with some overtime surprises & upsets, the Crusaders began their season with three straight wins. Those included dominant performances against McKinley & Lew-Port, along with a win over CHSAA Class AA Holy Cross. I now it's early. I know Roddy Gayle leaving the game after one quarter makes things difficult to gauge. But my eyes watched a team that's as good as I've seen so far this year - one that's earned a high regard and has no blemishes on its record yet.

2. Park (A) - I'll be very interested to see where this team lands in the Buffalo News poll when the votes from multiple opinions are tallied. I struggled with moving the Pioneers from the top spot because the scorebook I reviewed from the overtime loss at McQuaid was very unusual. The Park team I've watched the past couple seasons and in a few games this year isn't hyper-physical on defense. The foul discrepancy in the game had Park attempting 22 free throws to McQuaid's 50 attempts. However, if I begin qualifying a loss for every team that loses a close game, it opens a new can of worms. Teams deal with several variables in losses, including injuries, ineligibility, and fatigue. There's plenty of season to determine who deserves the top spot and even though Canisius & Park do not play this year, they'll have common opponents like Aquinas, who visits Park on Monday night.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - If you listened to the Centercourt Podcast this week, you know how big I am on this year's version of the Falcons - to me the best Health team from top-to-bottom they've had. I thought about them for #1 and then had this thought: The Falcons have never defeated Canisius or Park and will get a chance to do both this season, so I'll let them earn it.

4. St. Joe's (A) - The Marauders have a win over McQuaid on their resume and added a double-overtime victory at Aquinas to that last week. They also have losses to Health Sciences and Holy Trinity. To me, this is clearly one of the top teams in the area and I think #4 is appropriate at this point.

5. East (A2) - The Panthers are 4-0 with wins over South Park, Iroquois, Hutch-Tech, & Frontier all by double figures and by an average margin of 20 points. They'll look to keep the good times rolling with games at O'Hara and against McKinley this week.

6. Lew-Port (A2) - Roddy Gayle's rolled ankle took the luster off the big matchup at Canisius on Saturday, playing just under one quarter of the game. The night before with him in the lineup, they knocked off a tough Regis team in the Keenan Classic. Games with CSAT and Kenmore East this week are the only ones on the schedule for the Lancers until after the New Year.

7. Amherst (A2) - After knocking off Williamsville South with a strong second half on Wednesday, the Tigers came out on the wrong side of an overtime battle against Cardinal O'Hara on Friday night. They're scheduled to play their home opener against Hamburg on Tuesday.

8. Niagara Falls (AA) - Since losing to Amherst on opening night, Falls has been full throttle with three straight 30-point wins over O'Hara, Ken West, & Lockport. They should find a worthy opponent at the Lumberyard on Tuesday when they visit North Tonawanda.

9. Williamsville East (A1) - The Flames' trip to Olean on Tuesday was a historic one as they ended the 80-game home winning streak of the Huskies that had spanned just over eight years. The nine-point win there was the smallest margin of victory the team has enjoyed in their 5-1 start, with the other four all by double-digits. They host Niagara Wheatfield on Monday and visit Iroquois on Friday night.

10. Jamestown (AA) - Picked up a tough win on the road at Lancaster on Thursday night to improve to 3-1. Southwestern visits Jamestown on Friday night for a first round matchup in the United Way Tournament.

Small Schools

1. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - Had the Hawks here in the preseason and then dropped them down after a lopsided loss at Niagara Falls. However, last week they took a very good Amherst team down which tells me they are much closer to the team I thought they were coming into the season.

2. Olean (B1) - No shame in losing to a Williamsville East team that I think could win Class A1, but I did slide them down one spot after O'Hara knocked off the same Amherst team that beat Will East. The Huskies are now 3-1 after winning at Depew on Saturday, led by a 34-point showing from Covi James. They are at Wellsville on Tuesday night.

3. Tapestry (C1) - The Thunderhawks have played all Southern Tier schools in their 2-1 start, with the lone loss coming to Jamestown and the wins coming convincingly over Dunkirk & Southwestern. On Wednesday night they host another team from the CCAA, the unbeaten Eagles from Ellicottville.

4. Middle College (C1) - After some tough losses against top competition, the Kats picked up a big overtime over South Park last week. Two more league games are scheduled this week, both away games at City Honors and Hutch-Tech.

5. Iroquois (B1) - A fast start by the Chiefs on Friday night that included six 3-pointers by sophomore Trey Kleitz in the first nine minutes, was enough to propel the team to a close win over division rival East Aurora. The next big ECIC III test comes Wednesday at Maryvale, before finishing out the week with a visit from top 10 large school Williamsville East.

6. East Aurora (B1) - Tucking the Blue Devils in right behind Iroquois after they were the tougher team in the second half of a three-point loss at Iroquois and had a chance to take it late. EA is a smart and balanced team that comes hard, with a big man in Ian Moog that they look to for consistent inside production.

7. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - In a 12-point victory, the Gators improved to 3-0 and handed Salamanca its first loss of the season. They'll play in the Joe DeCerbo Memorial Tournament at St. Bonaventure against Bradford on Saturday, with a game against Olean or Coudersport the following day.

8. Fredonia (B2) - The Hillbillies are at St. Mary's on Tuesday and in the United Way Tournament at Jamestown over the weekend, beginning with a game against BASCS and hoping for a shot at the tournament hosts.

9. Timon (B) - After traveling to Rochester to face Class AA UPrep on Monday and only losing by 18, the Tigers took down an Australian team in South Buffalo on Friday. Good win mate.

10. Randolph (C2) - In their first action of the season, the Cardinals traveled a distance to play in the Tully Tournament, knocking off the host school and then Moravia to win the championship behind tourney MVP Tyler Hind. They'll take another long roadie this weekend to face East Rochester in the Bishop Kearney Showcase.

Sunday, December 08, 2019

(Health Sciences is 4-0 to start the season / Photo: Harry Scull,BuffNews)

Large Schools

1. Park (A) - The Pioneers are off and rolling once again, starting the 2020 campaign with four consecutive victories over UPrep, Middle College, Lew-Port, and South Park. Monday night they make the trip to McQuaid, the two-time defending Class AA champions from Section V.

2. Canisius (A) - The bleachers get pulled out on Delaware Avenue for the first this season as the Crusaders open their season against McKinley (2-0 with wins over St. Francis & Will South), on Tuesday, along with games on Friday & Saturday against Holy Cross & Lew-Port as part of the Keenan Classic at Canisius.

3. Health Sciences (A2) - The Falcons are already 4-0 on the year and champions of the Canisius College Tournament after scoring a pair of big wins over St. Joe's & Middle College. This year's version of the Health might be the best one yet - a deep team with lots of size & chemistry, and a floor general in Javaughn Jones that makes it all go.

4. Lew-Port (A2) - The Lancers led Park by a point at halftime, before a 21-2 third quarter run derailed any chance they had. They'll look to enter the win column on Tuesday at Grand Island before heading to Canisius this weekend.

5. St. Joe's - Opened the year with a 13-point comeback win over McQuaid and followed that up with an impressive 11-point win over Orchard Park, before falling to Health Sciences on Saturday night. The Marauders are off to Aquinas on Tuesday night and host St. Dominic & Holy Trinity over the weekend.

6. Amherst (A2) - After cruising past Williamsville East by 18 points to flex its early season ECIC II muscles, Amherst got off to a rocky start at Niagara Falls on Friday night, before some halftime adjustments, along with the scoring tandem of Jaylen Stewart & Nick O'Neil, carried the Tigers to a dramatic 16-point comeback victory.

7. East (A2) - The 3-0 start for East includes three double-digit wins over South Park, Frontier, & Iroquois. On Wednesday they host Middle College in a December battle with potential Yale Cup Trophy implications.

8. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines rebounded nicely from their loss to Amherst with a rout of defending CHSAA Class B state champion Cardinal O'Hara on Saturday, behind a 39-point eruption from Jaemon Turner. NFL play opens this week with a visit from Ken West and a trip to Lockport.

9. Orchard Park (AA) - Unranked in the preseason, but owners of a 17-point statement win over Class C state finalist Middle College on Saturday night and the #8 spot in this week's rankings. The Quakers open league play this week with a visit from West Seneca West.

10. Williamsville East (A1) - All four of the Flames' games have been routs to start the season. Will East rolled past the likes of Starpoint, Newfane, and Clarence, but found themselves on the wrong end of things in their home opener versus Amherst. They visit West Seneca East on Thursday, but will first look to make history with a trip to Olean on Tuesday night.

Small Schools

1. Olean (B1) - Time for Court to come correct! The Huskies go from unranked by me in the preseason, to their rightful spot atop the small school poll, after extending their home winning streak to 80 games with a thrilling overtime win over Jamestown - due in large part to a 46-point outburst by Covi James. I didn't even have Covi James on my preseason Player Watch List and if I wasn't my own boss, I'd fire me for both the rankings and the list! All I can do now is place Olean in the top spot and implore you to please WATCH COVI JAMES...I know I can't wait to! Olean hosts Class A1 favorite Will East on Tuesday and visits Depew on Saturday.

2. Middle College (C1) - Despite the 1-3 start to the season, I'll keep the Kats here where I think they belong because I don't think there's another small school that would have faired any better against Park, Health, and Orchard Park, with the possible exceptions of Olean and Tapestry. Yale Cup action really heats up for Middle College this week with a trip to East and a date with South Park.

3. Tapestry (C1) - Lost by just four points to Jamestown over the weekend, before rebounding with a win over Southwestern. The Thunderhawks will certainly have a chance to move up from number three this season. If it seems like Tapestry & Middle College are on a collision course for a meeting in the postseason in Class C1, that's because they are. Book it.

4. Cardinal O'Hara (B) - The Hawks led at Niagara Falls at halftime on Saturday night, before the Wolverines chewed their wings off. O'Hara doesn't schedule any cupcakes, so they'll have several chances to redeem themselves this season, beginning with a trip into the Amherst Jungle to face a Tigers squad who beat Falls the night before the Hawks lost there.

5. Iroquois (B1) - After a tough one-point tournament championship game loss to Ken East the night prior, the Chiefs faced East the following afternoon and fell for the second straight game. Despite the losses, Iroquois looks like a very tough out in ECIC III & Class B1 and face a huge test in both when East Aurora comes calling on Friday night.

6. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - The Gators have started 1-0 heading into a week with visits from Pioneer on Monday and undefeated Salamanca this Wednesday.

7. East Aurora (B1) - The Class B1 Semifinalists from 2019 open their season with a home game against Roy-Hart Tuesday night, before focusing on a huge early season league battle at Iroquois that should bear major implications on how the ECIC III race is won.

8. Fredonia (B2) - The Hillbillies are 2-0 to start the year, including a win over CSAT in their season opener on Wednesday. Fredonia travels to Harborcreek on Tuesday and hosts BASCS on Thursday.

9. Timon (B) - Two lopsided wins to begin the season over Global concepts and City Honors had the Tigers ready to compete with Williamsville North on Saturday, which they did in a six-point loss. They face an extremely athletic opponent in Section V power UPrep on the road Monday night.

10. Randolph (C2) - The defending champions of Class C2 open their season on Wednesday night when they host CSAT.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

With high school basketball right around the corner, it's once again almost time for tip-off tournaments, classics, challenges, and all-day showcases that drive the early portion of every season. Once you get past the New Year, league action really heats up and gets fans thinking about the playoffs and all those postseason-type matchups to come. Fortunately, there's an annual event just ahead of the win-or-go home madness that features those playoff-type battles between some of the area's top squads to set the tone for late February & March.

Announcing the lineup for the 3rd Annual Centercourt Classic to be held at Williamsville North High School on Hopkins Road in 2020!

When Olean turned to its bench for the first substitution of the game, they didn't miss a beat. Alex Weakfall's impact on the game was always immediate - whether striking from long range, ripping one from the opposing team, or sparking the team & the crowd with his defensive energy. Weakfall's heady play and constant intensity were a perfect fit for a Husky's program that demanded excellence. In his lone start of the season while filling in for injured starter Josh Bihler, he scored 7 points in the game's opening 25 seconds on a trey and consecutive steals & scores, forcing a Newfane timeout in the Class B1 quarterfinals. He finished that game with 15 points and six steals to help Olean advance, before returning to the role he helped the team thrive in en route to 24 consecutive wins by double figures. (Photo Courtesy: Buffalo News)

Sunday, February 03, 2019

Villa Maria College is the place to be this coming weekend. The 2nd Annual Centercourt Classic will be the marquee event of the regular season, featuring a blockbuster lineup of playoff-type matchups served up just one week before the regular season ends. What makes this unique is that all the games are played between teams who won't cross paths in the postseason, but that the matchups themselves are playoff-caliber and take place so late in the season.

A total of 12 teams are participating in this event, with two games on Friday night and four more in an action-packed Saturday. And these aren't just any teams, they are among the top programs in WNY, along with one of the very best from Section V. Included are all five of the MMA large schools, the two highest-ranked public large schools, the top-ranked team in NYS Class B, the defending NYS Class A Federation Champion, and five defending sectional champs. Six of the top 10 large schools from our area will be on hand, along with two top 10 small schools. Nine out of the 12 teams participating will appear in this week's NYSSWA State Rankings.

Friday, February 8th

Health Sciences vs. Randolph - 6 pm

- Health reached the NYSPHAA Class B Final Four in each of the last two seasons. They are currently the #10 large school in WNY and Honorable Mention in NYS Class A. The Falcons are led by Kam Briggs, who earned Fifth Team All-Centercourt and Fourth Team Class B All-State in 2018

- Randolph was the Class C Section VI Champion in 2017 and the runner-up in 2018. They are currently the #9 small school in WNY and #18 in NYS Class C. The Cardinals are led by Tyler Hind who earned Fifth Team All-Centercourt and Second Team Class C All-State in 2018

Timon vs. West Seneca West - 7:45 pm

- West is the defending Section VI Class A Champion, led by Adrian Baugh who earned All-Centercourt Honorable Mention and Honorable Mention in NYS Class A.

- Timon is led by Tahron Goudelock, who has stepped into a prominent role for the Tigers in his senior season. What makes this matchup so intriguing is the backstory. Des Randall, the current head coach at West, was the head man at Timon for two seasons before resigning in the spring of 2017. Some of the players on the talented roster he had assembled there left the school to play elsewhere the following season, including Baugh, who followed Randall to West Seneca West. Former two-time Player of the Year, Jason Rowe, took over the program at Timon and put his own stamp on the team. Friday night is the first meeting between West and Timon since all of this went down and is certain to have both teams motivated for a win.

******

Saturday, February 9th

St. Joe's vs. Lew-Port - 1:30 pm

- St. Joe's is led by freshman standout Justin Glover, one of the top players in the Class of 2022. The Marauders also gained a pair of transfers who have helped keep them very competitive in 6-8 Greg Poland and Daesaen Ashley, who earned All-Centercourt Honorable Mention as a sophomore at Amherst

- Lew-Port is currently the #6 large school in WNY and Honorable Mention in NYS Class A. The Lancers are led by freshman phenom Roddy Gayle and senior Trent Scott, who both earned All-Centercourt Honorable Mention in 2018, with Gayle also earning Tenth Team Class AA All-State. The team also boasts Jalen Duff, who looks like the top 8th grader in WNY with his consistent high impact at the varsity level this season

St. Francis vs. Olean - 3:30 pm

- St. Francis was the Manhattan Cup runner-up in 2017 and the only local team to push Park to overtime this year. They are currently the #3 large school in WNY and Honorable Mention in NYS Class A. The Red Raiders are led by the senior trio of Dorion Ivey, Justin Poumpey, and Lucas Theisen.

- Olean is the defending Section VI Class B1 Champion. They are one of just two undefeated teams left in WNY, ranked #2 in WNY small schools and the #1 ranked team in NYS Class B. The Huskies are led by NYS Hall of Fame coach Jeff Anastasia and Mike Schmidt, a Third Team All-Centercourt selection and Second Team Class B All-State in 2018. Schmidt was also the sixth man on the State Championship team in 2016.

Park vs. Irondequoit - 5:30 pm

- Park is the reigning NYS Class A Federation Champion, after winning the CHSAA State Title and the Manhattan Cup in 2018. They are the #1 large school in WNY and ranked #2 in NYS Class A. The Pioneers are led by Noah Hutchins who earned First Team All-Centercourt and First Team Class A All-State in 2018, along with Quentin Nnagbo, who was All-Centercourt Honorable Mention in 2018.

- Irondequoit was the NYSPHAA Class A State Champion in 2017 and returned to the State Final Four in 2018 after defeating West Seneca West in the Regional, ending their unbeaten campaign. They are currently a Top 10 large school in Section V and Honorable Mention in NYS Class A. The Eagles are led by Freddy June and Josh Stenglein, with both earning Honorable Mention Class A All-State in 2018.

Canisius vs. Niagara Falls - 7:30 pm

- Canisius has been WNY's most dominant program in the last decade, winning 7 of the last 10 Manhattan Cup Championships. The Crusaders are currently the #3 large school in WNY and Honorable Mention in NYS Class A. The Crusaders are led by Dwayne Vass, averaging 15.5 PPG for the Crusaders.

- Falls has won three consecutive titles in Section VI Class AA. They are currently the #2 large school in WNY and #8 in NYS Class AA. The Wolverines are led by Jalen Bradberry, who earned Third Team All-Centercourt and Fifth Team Class B All-State in 2018, along with freshman Willie Lightfoot, who was Honorable Mention Class AA All-State last season.

******

Admission for this event on either day is just $5 at the door and as always, parking is free. The gym will not be cleared, meaning the ambitious fan could catch all four games on Saturday for an average of $1.25 a game! The headliner between Falls & Canisius on Saturday will feature the NFHS Pep Band.

After three straight days of cancellations last week, fans should be chomping at the bit to spend a couple days watching some of the best teams & talents on the hardwood this weekend. Last season's CC Classic was awesome and we expect the Second Annual to be even better. I look forward to having you all there!!

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

The state rankings have been released by the NYSSWA. Below is my weekly post for the 2019 the season and the WNY teams that made the cut:

Class AA

Niagara Falls #7

Honorable Mention: Williamsville North

Class A

Park #1

Lew-Port #18

Honorable Mention: South Park, St. Francis, St. Joe's, Canisius, Amherst, & Sweet Home

Class B

Olean #1

Cardinal O'Hara #3

Allegany-Limestone #15

Southwestern #21

Honorable Mention: Nichols, Fredonia, Medina, & Wilson

Class C

Tapestry #6

East #16

Middle College #17

Randolph #18

Honorable Mention: Silver Creek, BASCS, & Salamanca

Class D

No teams ranked

Honorable Mention: Clymer & Panama

******** According to the rankings above........

- In NYS Class AA, Niagara Falls moves up one spot to #8. There are now only three public schools ahead of the Wolverines and the highest ranked team from Section V is McQuaid at #15.

- The Park School is once again the top ranked team in NYS Class A. Albany Academy comes in at #2, the team the Pioneers defeated to win the 2018 Federation Championship. Park travels to face those Cadets this Sunday.

- Lew-Port falls all the way from #10 to #18 in NYS Class A, following the Lancers first loss of the season at the hands of Niagara Falls - a pretty harsh punishment, in my opinion. The Lancers remain the only Section VI public school to be ranked from Class A, while Section V has three teams ahead of them and two teams behind.

- Olean and Cardinal O'Hara remain ranked #1 and #3 respectively in NYS Class B. They are two of 18 teams in the state that remain undefeated. Schalmont from Section II, who is the team between them, ranked #2 in NYS Class B, is also unbeaten.

- Allegany-Limestone moves up two spots in NYS Class B to #15. The Gators face #25 ranked Wellsville of Section V this week.

- Despite a 36-point loss to Olean, Southwestern managed to move up one spot to #21 in NYS Class B. Imagine the jump the Trojans would've made had they only lost by 22 points...

- Meanwhile, East fell back two places to #16 in NYS Class C, following a road loss at NYS Class A #8 Northstar Christian from Section V. Gimme a break here, the Panthers were leading after three quarters against a top 10 team two classes higher than them. If anything, they should've moved up. I'm beginning to see traces of hamster activity.

- No seriously, you can tell there's been hamsters around here -- Randolph won two games last week and Middle College lost, yet the two flipped places with the Kats moving ahead of Randolph.

Monday, January 21, 2019

1. Park (MMA) - Survived a scare at Nichols last week to stay unbeaten against WNY competition. Friday night the Pioneers host Lew-Port, and on Sunday they'll get a rematch of the 2018 Class A Federation Championship game when they travel to play Albany Academy in a showcase game that likely features the top two ranked teams in NYS Class A.

2. Niagara Falls (NFL) - Still the kings of Niagara County, Falls dished Lew-Port its first loss of the season by 18 points for an eighth consecutive victory.

3. St. Francis (MMA) - Picked up a nice win over St. Joe's on Monday to set up a "Game of the Week' visit to Delaware Avenue on Thursday night.

4. Canisius (MMA) - The Crusaders were the tougher team in the second half of their win over the Marauders Saturday afternoon. Thursday night's game against St. Francis is a big one.

5. Lew-Port (A2) - After suffering their first loss of the season, the Lancers schedule doesn't get any easier this week... Cardinal O'Hara on Tuesday and at Park Friday night!

6. Williamsville North (AA) - Brought their brooms to West Seneca West last week to complete the season sweep over the defending league champs in a game they led by as many as 22 points, two nights after knocking off Sweet Home by eight points.

7. South Park (A2) - The Sparks got out with a two-point win over Emerson last week and will have to do it all over again on the road this Thursday.

8. Amherst (A2) - Avenged their loss to West Seneca East and moved into sole possession of first place in ECIC II. A pair of tough games coming up this week for the Tigers on back-to-back nights with road trips to Sweet Home and Lockport.

9. Health Sciences (A2) - On Friday night the Falcons visit Middle College, a team they've knocked out of the playoffs the past two seasons.

10. St. Joe's (MMA) - Coming off a tough loss to their rivals, the Marauders have a challenging weekend ahead with games against Cardinal O'Hara and Aquinas.

Small Schools

1. Olean (B1) - Took the #8 small school in WNY, Southwestern, out by 36 points to improve to 13-0.

2. Cardinal O'Hara (MMA) - O'Hara is on a mission and taking no prisoners!! Trailing at halftime, the Hawks threw it into high gear in the second half at St. Francis on Wednesday for an impressive victory that keeps the team undefeated. Tuesday's game at Lew-Port should be a lot of fun and Friday's trip to St. Joe's will give the team an opponent with some size in the paint.

3. Nichols (MMA) - They beat Health Sciences, who beat Tapestry. They beat East, who beat Middle College. And they almost shocked Park on Tuesday night. I know the Vikings have some losses, but none to teams ranked below them.

4. Tapestry (C1) - The Thunderhawks won big over Maritime last week and face a huge test on Wednesday with a game at Cardinal O'Hara.

5. East (C1) - The Panthers led after three quarters on the road at Northstar Christian, who is a top 10 team in NYS Class A.

6. Middle College (C1) - The Kats are at Timon on Monday afternoon for what will have to serve WNY as this year's MLK Classic, before hosting Health on Friday night.

7. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - Moved to 10-1 on the season, winning a surprisingly defensive battle against high-scoring Silver Creek. The Gators visit Wellsville, one of Section V's toughest teams from Class B, on Tuesday.

8. Southwestern (B2) - Bounced back from the Olean loss to beat Chautauqua Lake and improve to 11-3 on the year.

9. Randolph (C2) - The Cardinals make the trip to Silver Creek this week, a team they edged by two points earlier this year.

10. Medina (B1) - The Mustangs are now in sole possession of first place in the N-O, after earning a big 20-point win over Wilson, a team who swept the defending league champion Mustangs last year.

Sunday, January 13, 2019

(Willie Lightfoot & Roddy Gayle wait to be announced as 8th grade starters for Falls before the 2018 Class AA Final/Photo: Harry Scull)

Monday, January 14th

St. Joe's @ St. Francis - 7 pm

Maritime @ BASCS - 7 pm

West Seneca West @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm

Tuesday, January 15th

City Honors @ Olmsted - 6 pm

Maryvale @ Amherst - 6 pm

Lew-Port @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Lake Shore @ Williamsville East - 6:30 pm

Springville @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

Sweet Home @ Williamsville North - 7 pm

West Seneca East @ Frontier - 7 pm

Lackawanna @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

Olean @ Southwestern - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm

Salamanca @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

Wednesday, January 16th

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Francis - 6:30 pm

Tapestry @ Maritime - 6:30 pm

Lancaster @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

Thursday, January 17th

Hutch Tech @ City Honors - 6 pm

Williamsville North @ West Seneca West - 6:30 pm

Lake Shore @ Iroquois - 6:30 pm

Lackawanna @ Springville - 6:30 pm

East @ Northstar Christian - 7 pm

Nichols @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

Friday, January 18th

Wilson @ Medina - 6:30 pm

Niagara Falls @ Lew-Port - 7 pm

Jamestown @ Frontier - 7 pm

Randolph @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

West Seneca East @ Amherst - 7:30 pm

MLK Classic at City Honors

City Honors vs. JFK - 4:30 pm

I-Prep vs. Maritime - 6 pm

Saturday, January 19th

Canisius @ St. Joe's - 2:30 pm

MLK Classic at City Honors

McKinley vs. Amherst - 2 pm

East vs. Health Sciences - 3:30 pm

Middle College vs. North Tonawanda - 5:45 pm

Sunday, January 20th

MLK Classic at Bishop Grimes

St. Francis vs. Mekeel Christian - 6:30 pm

* Game of the Week - Niagara Falls @ Lew-Port on Friday, January 18th

Was there ever even a question? The game that Falls' fans have been waiting for since the summer has almost arrived!

For the first time in a very long time, two of WNY's top five large schools hail from Niagara County. While Niagara Falls has won three consecutive Section VI titles in Class AA and always occupies an annual spot near the top of the large school rankings, Lew-Port is one of the smallest large schools in the area and hasn't won a sectional title since 1978. But the most significant transfer in my time covering hoops just might change that.

After averaging over 12 points per game as an eighth grader for Niagara Falls and helping lead the team to the Class AA Regional, Roddy Gayle transferred to Lew-Port over the summer. Now a freshman sensation in WNY high school basketball, Gayle has teamed with some very talented players who were already at Lew-Port. Trent Scott earned All-Centercourt Honorable Mention as a junior last season for the Lancers, eighth grader Jalen Duff has played like a veteran in the back court, and senior Zach Claybourne has been very productive for the team.

Gayle's departure would have left Falls with just one young prodigy in Willie Lightfoot, who also starred as an eighth grader at NFHS -- except for the return home by a third young prodigy from Niagara Falls.

When Niagara Catholic closed it's doors, 2018 Third Team All-Centercourt pick and Manhattan Cup MVP Jalen Bradberry returned to his home school. Bradberry has teamed with Lightfoot, along with seniors Josiah Harris & Moran Montgomery, to make this version of Falls an exciting brand of basketball that features shooting, speed, & pressure. The Wolverines are capable of overwhelming opponents when they start turning teams over, then running & scoring in transition.

The Wolverines and the Lancers are currently tied for first place in the NFL, both undefeated in league play. Lew-Port is also one of just three teams in WNY with an overall record that's unblemished, sitting at 11-0. Both teams are averaging 82 points per game (11 points above the next highest scoring Section VI team), with Falls allowing 53 points per game and the Lancers giving up 57 per outing.

While Gayle, Bradberry, and Lightfoot were supposed to be the next big thing together at Niagara Falls, instead we have something else to look forward to. There's a lot of pride among these three friends and both teams are ready to make a statement. Whatever happens Friday night, it's going to be awesome! It's the 'Game of the Week' - Cataract City-style!

* Game of the Week - Allegany-Limestone @ Randolph on Friday, January 11th

For the past two seasons, the Southern Tier has given us Franklinville vs. Ellicottville. But there's another rivalry that started brewing down there last season between two of the last four teams left standing in Class C and they just happen to be in the same league.

Randolph and Allegany-Limestone took turns knocking each other off during the 2018 season, and as a result, they shared the CCAA I East Championship. My prediction entering this year was that the two would once again split the regular season series.

The Cardinals & Gators each saw their season end at the hands of Tapestry in 2018. They each gave the Thunderhawks everything they bargained for and both schools entered this season with legitimate expectations of earning a sectional championship - the Cardinals in Class C2 and the Gators in Class B2.

Both teams boast talent and returned their standout players, with three of them having earned All-State honors. At Randolph, Tyler Hind was Second Team All-State in Class C. Allegany-Limestone was represented by Sam Flanders on Seventh Team and Michael Wolfgang on Ninth Team in NYS Class C. In addition, the Gators have Casey Curran, who can get buckets from any place on the floor, while Randolph has a freshman in Gabe McCoy who can look dominant in the lane.

With a lot of good games on tap for Friday night, there's one that I've been looking forward to since the preseason, so I'll be topping off my tank and taking a road trip. It's the 'Game of the Week' Southern Tier style.

Sunday, December 30, 2018

(Mike DiGiulio and the South Billies host the Game of the Week / Photo: Harry Scull,Buff News)

Wednesday, January 2nd

Hutch Tech @ Grand Island - 6:30 pm

Sweet Home @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

Thursday, January 3rd

Nichols @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

Williamsville East @ West Seneca East - 6:30 pm

Medina @ Newfane - 6:30 pm

Orchard Park @ Frontier - 7 pm

West Seneca West @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Friday, January 4th

McKinley @ South Park - 6 pm

Middle College @ East - 6 pm

Amherst @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm

Fredonia @ Olean - 7:30 pm

Franklinville @ Ellicottville - 7:30 pm

Silver Creek @ Randolph - 7:30 pm

Westfield @ Panama - 7:30 pm

Maple Grove @ Chautauqua Lake - 7:30 pm

Saturday, January 5th

Health Sciences @ Tapestry - 3 pm

Canisius @ Aquinas - 3:30 pm

Sunday, January 6th

At Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)

St. Francis vs. Bishop Ludden - 1:45 pm

Timon vs. Bishop Grimes - 3:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Christian Brothers Academy - 5:15 pm

* Game of the Week - Amherst at Williamsville South on Friday, January 4th

In 2016, Williamsville South and Amherst were top five large schools in WNY and spent the season on a collision course to meet in the overall Class A Final at Buff State. When the big game finally came to fruition, large student sections from both schools filled the baseline bleachers at the Buff State Sports Arena and infused the place with a little something extra. Not only was the winning team to advance to regionals, but there was also a matter of geographic pride on the line. Separated by just 2.3 miles on Route 5 in Buffalo, this was dubbed the Battle of Main Street.

Led by the Dolan brothers, the Billies won the big game on the big stage by 10 points over a Tigers squad that boasted TC Brown and Amadi Ikpeze, en route to the team's only trip to Glens Falls in program history. The following season, divisional realignments in ECIC landed Amherst in the same league as South and the Battle of Main Street became an annual two-game series & an instant rivalry.

In 2017, South gave up its home court advantage to play the first round across the street from the home of the Tigers at Daemen College. The Billies would score a thrilling win before an overflow crowd that evening. However in round two, it was Amherst's turn to grant fans the privilege of chanting "We own Main Street", as the Tigers controlled the game and won by 10 points at home.

During Greg Dolan's CC MVP campaign in 2018, Williamsville South was a clear cut above a young Amherst team and took a pair of lopsided decisions, to give the Billies a 4-1 advantage in 'The Battle' since 2016.

Early indications from the games played so far in the 2019 season have ECIC II being a battle royale, with several teams having the horses and belief that they can win the league. Amherst and Williamsville South are both once again right in the mix. The Tigers will enter the game with a 3-1 league record, while the Billies come in 2-1. Amherst's loss came at the hands of West Seneca East, who Williamsville South defeated. The Billies league loss was by 10 points to Hamburg, who the Tigers trounced by 30 points.

While it's hard to make sense of those results, it might be harder to find a parking spot and a seat if you get there late on Friday. It's the first 2019 'Game of the Week', Main Street style!

Between the day I published the All-Centercourt Team and the day I started emailing requests to coaches for Season Preview information, there's been a flurry of activity related to high school basketball in WNY, and it will most certainly have a direct impact on the 2019 season. For starters, we've lost some very talented players that were underclassmen in 2018. Two of them held Division I offers and happened to be teammates on the Federation Championship team at Park, two of them were First Team All-Centercourt in 2018, and all of them were on the All-Centercourt Team.

Dan Scott earned a spot on First Team and was also made the Federation All-Tournament team after the Pioneers marched through NYS Class A, but has opted to transfer to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. His teammate, John Orogun, got better every time he took the floor as a sophomore last year and looked like a man among boys when playing in a freshmen/sophomore all-star game at the end of the season, ripping the rim nearly every time he touched the rock. The 6-10 big man with high major written all over him transferred to St. Benedict's. Park's sixth man, Julian Eziukwu, who was also the Centercourt Sixth Man of the Year last season as a junior, is no longer eligible due to his age. Needless to say, things will, at the very least, look different on Harlem Road this season.

Juston Johnson, a First Team All-Centercourt selection who led West Seneca West to a 24-0 record and the overall title in Class A before bowing out to Irondequoit in the Far West Regional, has been ruled ineligible. As of press time, the family was appealing the ruling and remains optimistic that Johnson will play this season. If he does, it drastically changes the landscape in ECIC I, Class A, and WNY hoops in general. The Indians beefed up their nonleague schedule tenfold from the one inherited by head coach Des Randall last year and will be a major contender without him, but with him, WSW becomes the favorite to return to the Far West Regional and beyond.

After following his sophomore campaign that earned Third Team All-Centercourt honors with a huge junior year that landed him on Second Team, leading Timon to a win over Park in the regular season, and eclipsing 1,000 career points, The Juice is now loose in Ontario. Julian Cunningham left South Buffalo this summer to head north of the border, transferring to Orangeville Prep, the same school WNY lost Joe Jones to after his junior year at Park in 2017.

I know, that's a lot to take in and a big blow to the talent pool in WNY, on the heels on graduating the likes of Greg Dolan, Davonte Gaines, Willard Anderson, Devin Pope, and all those boys from Canisius, including Ryan Bradley who is now at Daemen and Jayce Johnson, who was just on ESPN2 this week playing Division I ball for Middle Tennessee State. But that's not all - we've even lost teams from last year and seen some team-to-team player movement that will shake everything up even more.

Niagara Catholic closed its doors for good - the same Niagara Catholic that just built an overnight sensation of underclassmen that won the Class B Manhattan Cup. That left a lot of young players looking for a new home, or in one case, a return home. Third Team All-Centercourt pick and Manhattan Cup MVP Jalen Bradberry spent much of the summer running with St. Joe's, but ultimately wanted to play with his friends and return to his home school at Niagara Falls, where the Wolverines have won the last three Class AA titles. The same Niagara Falls that had those two young prodigies lead the team last year as a freshman (Roddy Gayle) & eighth grader (Willie Lightfoot) respectively. Wait, all three of those young studs are finally reunited? I've been hearing about Bradberry, Gayle, & Lightfoot since they started playing Biddy Ball. This could be the second coming of 2005 Falls!!! Well, not so fast.

While the arrival of Bradberry at Falls gives the Wolverines WNY's most dynamic backcourt, they won't have Roddy Gayle running in transition with them. Gayle left Falls this summer for another program in Niagara County and will run with the Lew-Port in 2019. For head coach Matt Bradshaw and the Lancers, it's a major jackpot! Gayle's presence at Lew-Port and in Class A makes them immediate contenders and must-see basketball.

Bradberry wasn't the only standout at Niagara Catholic. Haakim Siner was an Honorable Mention selection in 2018 and one of the best returning big men coming into this season. He has found a new home at Cardinal O'Hara, playing alongside the best returning big man, Justin Hemphill. Siner brought teammate Avion Harris with him, another starter at Catholic and one of the 15 All-Centercourt Defenders a year ago. With four starters back, some key reserves returning, the two key additions from Niagara Catholic, and a 6-5 shooting sophomore who joined the program, the Hawks suddenly look like not only the best team in their league, but maybe in WNY.

Remember, Cardinal O'Hara is a small school, so if they could get to and win the same game this season that Niagara Catholic lost in 2018, the CHSAA Class B State Championship, they'd be in the NYS Federation Tournament of Champions. That's the same tournament that Park won in Class A last year and also the tournament Olean reached after winning a state title in 2016. Yes, the same Olean that returns five starters to the group that held Health Sciences to 11 points in the first half last year and only lost to the Falcons by two in the overall Class B Final. Are you picking up what I'm trying to lay down yet??? I'll just spell it out - the possibility exists that both O'Hara and Olean could be two of the four teams showing up in Glens Falls during the last week of March in Class B. The last time two teams from WNY faced off in the Federation Tournament was in 2001, when Buffalo Traditional defeated Canisius. I can't imagine a much cooler scenario than driving to Glens Falls to watch two WNY teams play for the biggest prize in NYS.

*************************

What's New ??

- After consecutive trips to the state final four in Class B, Section VI has reclassified Health Sciences, despite BEDS numbers that reflect Class B. The Falcons will compete in Class A2 this season.

- The 2019 Centercourt Classic has shifted venues to Villa Maria College and will feature six games over two days on February 8th & 9th.

- After stockpiling a loaded young squad at Niagara Catholic in one offseason and winning the Class B Manhattan Cup, the school has closed its doors and all that talent has dispersed to other teams.

- Oracle Charter has also closed. The Phoenix enjoyed their best season in 2013, reaching the Class C1 Final.

- Varsity basketball is back at Bennett. The team will be coached by Khalil Cottman and compete in Yale Cup II for league and Class C2 in sectionals.

- Falconer & Frewsburg flipped leagues. The Golden Falcons drop down to CCAA II West, while the Bears move up to CCAA I West.

- Depew & Springville flipped leagues. The Wildcats move up to ECIC III, while the Griffins move down to ECIC IV.

- Yale Cup start times have changed, again. Varsity tip times are now slated for 6 pm.

- Williamsville North has changed start times to 7 pm which kills my ability to catch double-headers there on my way home from a 6 pm game. Not cool Chuck.

- The ADPRO Public/Private Challenge has added a pair of girls games to the 11-game lineup, while Canisius & St. Joe's have opted out.

- Class C1 & C2 are back. In 2018, there was 16 teams in Class C, which is the maximum number for one bracket. This season there are 20 teams in Section VI Class C.

- This will be the last year in Binghamton for the NYSPHAA state championships. Glens Falls won the bid to be the host and will once again be the venue beginning in 2020!

- The Pastor-Cooper Showcase at Daemen College returns to three days this season, December 5th through December 7th.

- Far West Regionals will be played at Greece Athena High School on Saturday, March 9th.

************************************************

The Players

*** 6 of the top 25 players from the 2018 All-Centercourt Team return to the WNY high school hoops scene, along with 15 players that received Honorable Mentions following last season.

Returning First Teamer

Noah Hutchins - Park, Senior

Junior Season stats:

13.1 PPG

6.6 APG

5.0 RPG

2.6 SPG

1.3 BPG

The MVP of the Federation Tournament showed he could take over games during the Pioneers championship run in 2018. He should be downright dominant in his fourth season as the starting floor general for The Park School.

*All-Centercourt Defender & Centercourt #BOOM Squad*

Returning Third Teamers

Mike Schmidt - Olean, Senior

Junior Season stats:

16.6 PPG

6.4 APG

5.2 RPG

3.5 SPG

Already a state champion from 2016, Olean's point guard looks to lead the Huskies back to the top of New York State's Class B and go out on top.

* All-Centercourt Defender *

Jalen Bradberry - Niagara Falls, Sophomore

Freshman Season stats:

20.3 PPG

4.6 RPG

2.4 APG

2.1 SPG

0.7 BPG

After leading Niagara Catholic to a Manhattan Cup in its final year in existence, Bradberry returns to NFHS after two years away, already approaching 1,000 career points before his sophomore campaign.

Justin Hemphill - Cardinal O'Hara, Senior

Junior Season stats:

20.5 PPG

13.5 RPG

3.5 APG

2.6 SPG

2.6 BPG

A Division I talent and a matchup nightmare in the post for opposing defenses. He can run the floor and absolutely soar.

* Centercourt #BOOM Squad *

Returning Fifth Teamers

Kam Briggs - Health Sciences, Senior

Junior Season stats:

12.9 PPG

3.1 SPG

1.8 APG

1.5 RPG

A two-way standout who sealed the 2018 Section VI title for Health Sciences with his defense and took over offensively in the Class B state semifinal.

* All-Centercourt Defender *

Tyler Hind - Randolph, Junior

Sophomore Season stats:

23.3 PPG

6.6 APG

4.2 RPG

3.1 SPG

0.5 BPG

Already a 1,000 point scorer, Hind does it all for the Cardinals. Deceptively strong & athletic, there isn't a better shooter in WNY.

Park enjoyed its greatest season in school history last year, knocking off Canisius for the Manhattan Cup, before claiming the CHSAA Class A state championship at Villa Maria College. Two weeks later, the Pioneers arrived in Glens Falls for the NYS Federation Tournament of Champions - an honor they had won as a small school in 2015. Once again, Park returned to WNY with the hardware, this time as champions of NYS Class A, after winning a thriller over Albany Academy as time expired. With the off-season transfers of Dan Scott to Oak Hill Academy and John Orogun to St. Benedicts, the Pioneers lost a pair of returning future Division I talents, but they still return Noah Hutchins and Quentin Nnagbo to the starting lineup and most certainly have a title to defend. Sophomores Caleb Hutchins and Keyounjay Carter will step in and be counted on immediately. St. Francis seems to be off the radar for many in the preseason, but the Red Raiders squad could soon be grabbing everyone's attention much like they did two years ago, when a cohesive group took all three meetings from Park and nearly ended a long championship drought. Lucas Theisen enters the season healthier than last year and should have a big campaign, while point guard Justin Poumpey is a perfect fit for the style the team plays. Dorion Ivey, David Bartholomew, and Amiel Collins all saw extended time for Frannies last year, and when you throw in some added depth on the bench, just don't say i didn't warn you about this group. You would have to go back to 2008 to find the last time Canisius went multiple seasons without winning the Manhattan Cup. That's not great news for the rest of the league, considering Park claimed the prize in 2018. Despite graduating all five starters, the Crusaders are hardly short on talent and will look to juniors Dwayne Vass and Ish Faircloth to take the reigns and get the team back to the top. Senior guard Joe Jamison is back for a third season, while junior Eric Kegler arrives from St. Mary's. Timon will undoubtedly miss the departure of guard and leader Julian Cunningham, who left the team for Orangeville Prep. Filling his role looks to be the biggest challenge for a team that has shooters and a pair of forwards that will be fun to watch. Alero World is back for his senior season and offers classic elements of a stretch four with his 6-7 frame, while freshman Massai Graham is so exciting, explosive, and athletically gifted that he's already been sized for a #BOOM Squad shirt. After six seasons at Williamsville South, Gabe Michael is the new head coach at St. Joe's, where he'll roll with five seniors who return to the program, along with a mix of underclassmen.

Cardinal O'Hara has good reason to believe this is the year they breakthrough and win the Manhattan Cup after falling in the final to Niagara Catholic last year. Besides returning four starters, including Third Team All-Centercourt star Justin Hemphill, the team added two starters from Niagara Catholic when the school closed. That's six starters back from the Manhattan Cup Final! Among those is Haakim Siner, who was all over the glass every time he took the floor, along with Avion Harris - an All-Centercourt defender. Jermaine Haynes averaged 15 points per contest last year for the Hawks and has started the last two years. Joe Mihalics returns to coaching in the Monsignor Martin after three years away. The former Timon coach & player becomes the sixth head coach of Nichols since 2011 andtakes over for a Vikings team that should be significantly better this year. Chris Stineman & Aidan Horan give the team one of WNY's best front courts with their athleticism, size, and versatile skill sets. The team is excited about sophomore guard Jesse Adamu, who along with fellow classmate Jaylen Hearon, are expected to make an immediate impact. St. Mary's was hit hard by graduation and will look to a new cast led by the lone returning starter, Brady O'Brien. Walsh has no seniors and just one junior on its roster, so the Eagles likely field the youngest team in WNY, while playing against some of the fiercest competition. Xavier Laverty averaged 20 points per game as a freshman, while connecting from long range over 80 times. CCA is a team that uses primarily guard play with a fast tempo. The Crusaders have three returning seniors and junior Daniel Tyson back, and will look to push the ball up the court and utilize all their players.

In a league that has a state champion East, a South Park team that nearly clipped West Seneca West for the overall Class A title, and resident bully McKinley...it was Middle College that raised the 2018 Yale Cup after winning the city's league race. The Kats will look to defend their Cup with a young team looking to prove themselves by playing a hard-nosed defensive style, looking to slow teams down and take them out of their comfort zone. The team will be led by Jamond Jones, Ja'Kari Nettles, Tereamell Stevens, Keith Brown, Devonte Prince, & Keyunte Jones. East is the reigning NYS Class D state champion after ending Moriah's bid to repeat and its 45-game win streak, which had been the longest in the state. This year's Panthers are back in Class C and return just one starter (Danny Carter), but remain optimistic that the victories will continue to pile up for the city's all-time winningest coach in Starling Bryant. Look for big seasons out of Dontaye Miller and 6-6 David Hughes. South Park is the defending Class A2 champ and has plenty back from last season, led by exciting point guard Anthony Mack. Jayson Armstead and Davon White will be counted on, while Elijah Lewis, Michael Crockett, and Jayon Renfro will give the team a strong presence on the boards. Willie Hutch Jones takes over as head coach at South Park, where the team has bought into his philosophy of "We Love Defense". McKinley's speed will once again be an asset this year. The Macks will be right in the thick of the race for the Yale Cup, led by smooth senior two guard Ngenda Elias, who can really heat up from the outside. Jahmal David-Lewis gives the team an inside/outside threat, while Samuel Moss is an up and coming sophomore on Elmwood Avenue. Sean Edinger takes over the Burgard program and has been really pleased with the group of young men he has to work with, saying the team is full of hard workers that never quit and are always at practice, hungry to learn the game.

City Honors nearly made history during the 2018 postseason. The Centaurs traveled to Olean and nearly pulled the quarterfinal upset that would have ended a homwe winning streak that dates back to 2011. After an entire offseason to stew about it, Honors is back in force with its entire starting lineup. John Kudla's club should be the favorites to claim Yale Cup II and the major obstacle to Olean's bid to begin a state run in the playoffs. Amir Radford returns after earning co-POY honors in league as a junior, along with sophomore Jaden Slaughter, who is expected to start turning heads this year. MST Seneca is only returning three players from last year's team and will need leadership from Earl Howard to bring the team together and help build chemistry with new talent up from the JV ranks. Strong defense will need to carry the Wolves to success. Riverside returns Julius Laureano, one of the top players in the league. With the Frontiers moving into Class C2 this year, they should have their sights set on getting the team to JCC to make some postseason noise. Jarryd Austin takes over a team at Buffalo Arts that has lacked leadership at the top and will begin his efforts to build a model program. The team will be driven by returning seniors Jalen Carter-Keith & Cencear Benefield and focused on working hard to become better throughout the season. Lafayette is looking to build on last season under new head coach Brian Davis. Nick Todaro is done coaching at DaVinci after one season. As of press time, it was unknown for sure whether the school would even field a team or who would be coaching them if it did.

Williamsville North is going to be a problem for the rest of the league this season. The Spartans reached the Class AA Final in 2018 and have plenty of size, muscle, & experience back with four returning starters (Jake Belote, Breht Swiech, Jon Abaya, & Scott Becht). They'll also get a big boost from the return of Joe Nusall, who started 18 games as a sophomore two years ago, but sat out all of last year due to injury. Orchard Park after leading the JV team to an undefeated season, Chris Frankowski moves up to take over as head coach of the varsity team that left everything on the court at Buff State during the 2018 Class AA semifinals. Back from that team are seniors Nathan Wereski, Josh McTigue, & Archie Bartolotti, along with juniors Tino Mancabelli & Ethan Swiatek . Juniors Chase Kline & Jack Sharp look to play a key role for the Quakers who will play aggressive pressure defense, while pushing & sharing the ball at the offensive end. Clarence returns a pair of three-year starters in River Reinhardt and Jack Putney and Brandon Ferris is back and will be counted on heavily at both ends of the floor after leading the team in 3-point shooting last year. The Red Devils will need some young guys to step up for the team to break through and make an appearance at Buff State. Jamestown's strength will be its inside play with Shaheem Freeney and Grant Moore. Sophomore point guard Elijah Rojas is a returning starter and Kameron Grant could surprise with his play this season. Lancaster should get a big season out of senior JJ Jerebko, who wasn't playing at full strength last season, but has a great all-around game. Juniors GianLuca Fulciniti, Trevor Reformat, and Justin Hughes, along with freshman Joe Harrington will all see big minutes for the Legends. Frontier has a solid big man in Brandon Dunz, along with three players who all logged big minutes and contributed last season in Tyler Bailey, Alex Hiam, and Ben Taylor.

West Seneca West: Requested information was not provided by the head coach

********************************************

ECIC II

Amherst will be a hungry team this season after a year that ended short of Buff State for the first time since 2011, after dropping a heart-breaker in the quarterfinals by one point in overtime to eventual champion South Park. The team's biggest loss was Daesean Ashley who transferred, but the Tigers gained a transfer in flashy guard Jaylen Stewart, who waited in the wings the past two years at Park and should be primed for a breakout season. Jake Mullen, Ja'kye Womack, Xavier Lewis, & Jackson Tan were all part of the rotation last year and return. Williamsville South has won five straight league titles and will seek a sixth under new head coach Mike Trybinski, who moves over from Alden. Trybinski was formerly a Williamsville coach at Will East and will have his work cut out for him with the loss of 2018 CC MVP Greg Dolan. The team returns starters Devin Degree & Ethan Heil, along with sixth man Mike DiGuilio, and looks for big contributions from Angel Torres and Kingsley Mitchell. The Billies will rely on a solid group of players thrust into more prominent roles, where controlling tempo and mixing defenses will be key. Sweet Home hope to build upon their performance last season, led by senior Evan John and junior big man Daequan Hill. The Panthers are coming off a 15-win season and look to continue to play with toughness & energy, seeking a trip to Buff State. West Seneca East won just five games last season, but that included a playoff upset at Williamsville East. Zamari Mitchell is back after scoring 22.5 per contest as a junior and earning First Team All ECIC honor, along with Trent Cordone, who was second on the team in scoring and assists. Starpoint will have more depth than in recent years and has five returning players who will be regulars in the rotation, led by three-year starter Justin Mott. Williamsville East will be a very young team with only three returning players, but one is the team's leading scorer in junior Cal Shifflet. Max Schneider will start at the point as a freshman for the Flames as part of an influx of talent up from last year's JV team that won 15 games. Hamburg carried six sophomores on the roster a season ago and will have just three seniors, but the Bulldogs hope the youth movement pays dividends this year in the form of more victories.

Maryvale has Nathan Crombie, Rashaad Law, and Xaier Mitchell back, while senior Jay Henley returns after contributing two seasons ago. Sophomore Andrew Dockery enters his second varsity season for the Flyers. Cheektowaga won't have a lot of size or experience, but should entertain fans with their style of play. Get it & go and look to get to the rim to create as much havoc as possible is the goal of the Warriors and they have plenty of athleticism to help accomplish that, led by seniors Armondez Cleague and Jason Saloman. Iroquois reached Buff State in Class A2 last season and returns plenty of depth at the guard position from that team. Freshman Trey Kleitz looks poised for a breakout season in his second year with the varsity team, while 6-9 Andrej Milinkovic from Serbia brings a shooter's touch and the team hopes he can provide a major presence inside. Lake Shorehopes to be more than a one-year wonder after reaching the Class A2 Final in 2018. They bring back a pair of starters in Ajay Cybulski and Josh Buchanan who will be strong contributors at both ends. Efrain Barreto brings a high energy to the point, while the combo of Marcus & Zach Evans will handle the shooting gurad position and Nate Lockwood mans the post. Pioneer is coming off a 13-9 season and looking to build on that success with a run at Buff State. The Panthers will be led by returning starters Nick Rinker and Dillon Giboo and should benefit from the return of Jason Corbett. East Aurora has just three seniors and will rely on Noah Denz for leadership and scoring. Junior Will Covington returns to the backcourt after missing most of his sophomore season due to injury. Ian Moog is a 6-7 sophomore who should be a big contributor, while hard work in the offseason by senior Nate Mucci and freshman Dominic Phillips should earn them some opportunities. Depew returns to ECIC III after a year away. The Wildcats have a lot of scoring and leadership to replace with the graduation of five-year player Chad Biersbach and will likely improve as the season wears on. Expect their style to stay the same - moving the ball and looking for perimeter shots, while digging in defensively.

Cleveland Hill has an explosive three-year senior and captain in Fredrick Johnson. He's a dynamic player who can score inside and out and at 6-6, makes passing lanes difficult for opponents. Peyton Barker missed most of last season with an injury and his return should help in the paint at both ends of the floor. Springville moves back to ECIC IV this season and will have a deep bench with eight returning seniors from last year, led by all-around talent, Mason Goodridge. Adam Pruitt, Alex Francisco and Austin Boies will also be key for the Griffins, who play a fast-paced tempo and strong defense. JFK graduated three starters and a lot of points from the team that went to theClass B2 Final in 2018. The Bears have some good athletes, but lack size & varsity experience and will rely on Zack Manzella, Mitchell Fischer, and Alan Suarez for leadership & scoring. Alden has a new head coach in Tim Stone andwill be a young team with little experience, returning only starter from last year. The Bulldogs will be led by Max Gilbert and Lucas Jurek. Tonawanda returns four starters and all but two players from a season ago. Though still young, Trevin Boling & JJ Valazquez played a lot last year, while Pat Carney , Owen Baker and Khristian Valazquez started most of the games. Holland has just three seniors, but should be a balanced team with decent depth, led by Brennan Lewandowski who made Second Team ECIC IV last year. Eden has a new head coach once again this season in Don Genco and he's set a lot of goals for the Raiders to accomplish this year, with competing in the area being a big part of that. The team is led by Jared Sobczyk & Alec Henry and has an abundance of three point shooters, led by Brandon Haller, CJ Sroda and Hunter Stetz.

Niagara Falls made it a three-peat in Class AA last year and I can't see any reason why the fun would stop there. With Third Team All-Centercourt selection Jalen Bradberry returning home after already playing two varsity seasons and leading Niagara Catholic to the CHSAA Class B state championship game, along with the player I'm most excited to see this season in freshman guard Willie Lightfoot, stopping the Wolverines title run seems highly unlikely. Lightfoot is one of those rare talents who spent last season running the point at Falls and is ready to explode onto the scene this year. Add in the return of Josiah Harris, Moran Montgomery, and Taylor Sanders, along with Jaemon Turner back after Niagara Catholic closed, and get ready to watch NFHS wear teams down with speed, pressure, and all that talent. Lew-Port hit the local lottery of sorts, gaining future high major standout Roddy Gayle, a freshman who transferred in the offseason after starting for Class AA champion Niagara Falls. His presence immediately elevates the Lancers into serious contention for a sectional title in Class A2. The team returns its leading scorer in Trent Scott, who earned Honorable Mention as a junior, and also brings up 8th grader Jalen Duff - a sniper from the perimeter with big things ahead. North Tonawanda fielded a young team around Trevor Book last season, who is now at Daemen. Now the Jacks have plenty back on a balanced team with the experience of battling at Buff State. Dante Moultrie was Third Team NFL after staring the season as a sophomore point, while juniors Noah Fox-Stoddard and Sebastian Reid, along with sophomore Walter Wisniewski are developing into ballers at NT. Niagara Wheatfield benefits from the addition of a pair who came over from Niagara Catholic in Roman Wright and Raejuan Smith. While neither started for the Patriots last year, both are expected to contribute for the Falcons. Davon Ware returns as the team's point guard, while Zach Stanley looks to build on his seven points per game as a junior. The Falcons drop to Class A1 and should be right in the mix of teams vying for a spot at Buff State in February. Grand Island likes to run & gun and shoot the 3-pointer. They'll have four-year starter Cam Sionko leading the way, who should eclipse 1,000 career points early in the season. Jeremiah Wilkes gives the Vikings a physical scoring presence inside, while sophomore Logan Sionko cannot be left along on the wing. Kenmore East welcomes Jim Badgley as the new head coach, who will put the effort in to get the most oput of the talent at the school. The Bulldogs are not big, but very athletic and quick with a fairly deep bench. The top returning players are Nate Murdie and D'anzo Young, while juniors Austin McCullough, Amari Gordan, Dominic Ferguson and Dalton Gaughan should get plenty of playing time Kenmore West should be deeper and more athletic this season, looking to push the ball in transition and play aggressive defense. The Blue Devils are led by Dylan James, Kyle Schmidt, and Zac Boyes.Lockport will try to play uptempo and find scoring in transition to compensate for a lack of size. The Lions will be led by returning starters Malik Brooks, who just signed with UB for football, along with Torree Cheatom. CSAT will be a talented mix of youth and experience, led by the seniors of Lenard Harris, Daighlyon Willoughby and Kavon Wright. Sophomore Jamyier Patton and junior Amir Morris are ready for break out seasons.

Medina is the league's three-time defending champ and will need to be a well-conditioned group to repeat for a fourth straight season. The Mustangs have just seven players on their current roster, but five of them bring extensive experience. Izaiah Rhim leads a Medina charge that also features Vincent Montague, Brian Fry, Nate Sherman, and Tyler Chinn. Albion carried a young team last year and now returns seven guys to a versatile squad. The Purple Eagles should gain a big boost from a healthy season out of Deyonci Farley, one of the league's top players. Newfane has reached the Class B1 Final each of the last two seasons and will have to rely on a new cast to keep that streak going. Graduation hit the Panthers hard, but a talented JV team from last year should keep the team in the mix. With quality size in the front court, it will be up to the development of their young guards to to keep them competitive. Wilson has seven players back from last season and most started at some point and saw plenty of time. Steve Frerichs is a four-year varsity starter and will lead the Lakemen from the point guard position. Roy-Hart will be deep and balanced, as all 12 guys can contribute and play. Charlie Brigham, Charlie Bruning, and Blake Halstead are all returning starters, while the Rams' JV team was tough in 2018. Akron fields a young roster with six of its players being sophomores or freshmen. The Tigers will be led by returning seniors Jake Siska and Brandon Orr, and look for Adam Mietz to take another big step forward after starting last season as a freshman.

Olean enters this season with high expectations and for a program this caliber, that means they are eyeing the top of the mountain in NYS Class B. All the major moving parts are back from a Huskies squad that had Health Sciences on the ropes for the overall Class B title before falling by two points in the final minute. A strong and disciplined rotation of seven players from that game are led by floor general Mike Schmidt, a Third Team All-Centercourt selection in 2018 who sees the floor better than any player in our area. Matt Droney serves as the team's 'big' and is vital piece that allows the Huskies to space the floor and crush you from the perimeter. Chautauqua Lake has a solid core back, with six players returning who saw extended time last season. The Thunderbirds will run 10 deep and expect contributions from their sophomores and freshman. Fredonia is looking to be competitive on both ends of the floor where they have seven returners who played significant time last year. the Hillbillies put together a tough nonleague schedule to prepare for the playoffs. Southwestern is led by four-year standout Alex Card, who guided his team to an appearance at Buff State in Class B2 last season. Frewsburg got 17 points per contest from Brad Nelson last year and a double-double from Quinn Conlan, who both return. The Bears hope for balanced scoring from Aaron Hair and Dylan Pearson as well, with the team's move into CCAA I West presenting a more challenging schedule. Maple Grove returns Carson Christ & Peter Auer and will have Rob Collver coaching the Red Dragons.

Allegany-Limestone returns all but one starter, including two all state players in Michael Wolfgang and Sam Flanders. Casey Curran is also poised for a breakout year after a great summer, while the JV players coming up have lost only one game in the last two seasons. This is a deep and experienced team that gave Tapestry everything they could handle at JCC last year. The Gators are now in Class B2 and I think they're the favorites, which would have them on a collision course for a date with their neighbors from Olean in a March crossover game at Buff State. Forget the Southern Tier small schools for a moment, Randolph has one of the best inside/outside combinations in all of WNY...and both are still underclassmen. Tyler Hind, a junior who enters the season having already scored 1,000 points, earned Second Team All-State in Class C and Fifth Team All-Centercourt last year after averaging over 23 per game as a sophomore. He'll team with freshman big man Gabe McCoy, who flashed a very bright future as an eighth grader and continues to add polish to his game every time he takes the court. Silver Creek has a solid core back, led by Brady Woleben, who is approaching 1,000 career points and gives the team great minutes in the post. Tucker Gates and Dom Jamison both return after starting for the Black Knights a season ago and both can heat up from beyond the perimeter. Salamanca will be guard oriented and play very fast. They return six players with meaningful varsity experience, who are fast, physical, and can shoot. Sophomore Isaac Brown set the school scoring record for a freshman and is a very skilled slasher who can get to the basket. Gowanda has a new head coach in Eric Ring, who is trying t0 build a program through consistent play, strong defense, and an uptempo offense. Portville brings back five players from last season and will be led by seniors Nathan Kloc and Jarrett Mathes.

Sherman reached the semifinals at JCC in Class D for the 10th consecutive season last year. With eight seniors back for head coach Cory Emory's team, the Wildcats are a great bet to extend the streak and look like the favorites in the section. Collin Mulcahy takes over as head coach at Brocton, and he's very pleased with the group he has to work with. "It's a great feeling to be a part of this program and coach this group," Mulcahy said. "I've got thirteen young men who are driven, want to work hard, and are passionate about playing. With seven returning players, leadership should be a strength for the team. Westfield has six players with varsity experience and the biggest is 6-5, 260 lb junior Andrew Baribeau. Falconer should see more wins this season after moving down from CCAA I, where they competed twice a year with the likes of Olean and Dunkirk.

Cassadaga Valley: Requestedinformation was not provided by the head coach

**********************************************

CCAA II East

Ellicottville was a Willard-Anderson-score-as-time-ran-out away from ending the eventual Class D state champ's season and advancing. Instead, the Eagles have said goodbye to a memorable senior class that compiled 35 wins the last two seasons. The Eagles will be a young team as only four players will have varsity experience. Steven and Clayton Rowland will serve as leaders to the newcomers up from a 17-1 JV team.Franklinville finds itself in the same place as Ellicottville, just as they have the last couple seasons. The Panthers graduated five starters that delivered the school 39 wins in two years. Freshman Josh Haskell, who is long and can really heat up from outside, is the most experienced returning player. Pine Valley graduated all five starters, but does have half its team back. The question for them will be who fills the leadership void left from last years team and who can make a big shot when the team needs it. Makiah Snyder, Anthony Yaskow, and Brady Andrews are all candidates to step up for the team. Josh Forster takes over as head coach at Cattaraugus-Little Valley and wants to see his team play fast and be aggressive at all times, hoping for a more competitive group. North Collins will hang its hat on defense and rebounding, trying to slow games down by being patient on offense and getting good looks at the basket, led by Tyler Robinson, David Gullo, and Christian Loretto. Forestville returns some players who saw a lot of time on the court last year and expects to be much more competitive in league play this year as they look to spread the ball around and not lean on one person.

Health Sciences made it back-to-back trips to the state final four in Class B last season. Their prize coming into this year was a bump in classification from Section VI, placing the Falcons in Class A2. Even with the new competition, I expect The Health to continue its winning ways and be among the teams vying for a sectional title once again at season's end. Kam Briggs, who earned a Fifth Team All-Centercourt selection in 2018 is back, along with Tysheen Lott, Josiah Haygood, Daciare Riley, and emerging standout Javaughn Jones. Tapestry is the defending champion in Class C and has plenty back for a run at a state championship second year head coach Mike Ester. The Thunderhawks will once again be led by the dynamic duo of Dorian Plummer and Tariq Eubanks, who both nabbed Honorable Mentions last year, along with returning starter Ramel Robinson. Global Concepts has only three varsity players back, but that includes talented guards Luis Mercado and Andre Goldsmith. The team gained six new players from transfer, most notably David Stroud from South Park, who will be a force in Class C. They have beefed up their nonleague schedule and plan to pressure teams right out of the opening tip until the final whistle. BASCS, which stands for Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School, has Don Marsh taking over as head coach. Marsh is active in developing young players and should attract some talent to his program. Ibrahim Osmani and Sean Johnson return to lead the team.

** I checked back on last season's preseason poll and compared it to my final poll of 2018. I nailed all of the top ten large schools in the preseason Top 10, (went 10 for 10!!) but just had them out of order. I was also very close on the small schools, correctly picking 8 of the 10 that would be there in the end. I had Nichols & Dunkirk as preseason top 10 teams instead of Tapestry & Ellicottville who ended up there.

Large Schools

1. Park

2. Niagara Falls

3. St. Francis

4. Canisius

5. Health Sciences

6. Williamsville North

7. Lew-Port

8. West Seneca West

9. Amherst

10. South Park

Small Schools

1. Olean

2. Cardinal O'Hara

3. Tapestry

4. Middle College

5. Nichols

6. Randolph

7. Allegany-Limestone

8. East

9. City Honors

10. Global Concepts

********************************************

Predictions

MMA Class A - Park

MMA Class B - Cardinal O'Hara

Yale Cup I - South Park

Yale Cup II - City Honors

ECIC I - Williamsville North

ECIC II - Amherst

ECIC III - Maryvale

ECIC IV - Lackawanna

NFL - Niagara Falls

N-O - Medina

CCAA I West - Olean

CCAA I East - Allegany-Limestone & Randolph split

CCAA II West - Sherman

CCAA II East - Ellicottville

Charters - Health Sciences & Tapestry split

*********************************************

Manhattan Cup (A)

Last year I picked Canisius and was wrong. History tells me I better pick them this year, since they haven't gone consecutive seasons without winning a Manhattan Cup since 2007 & 2008. However, history also shows that I've only predicted the Manhattan Cup winner correctly once over the last five seasons - in 2017 when I picked Canisius, who came in as a #4 seed and beat the St. Francis team that took all three meetings from Park that year. Logic tells me to pick Park, who I already have winning the MMA above. But there's something about that Red Raiders team that went just 13-13 last year. I think they'll be the surprise team of the season, so here comes my bold prediction...it's only been 41 years since they won it last. If I'm wrong, at least I'll have history on my side.

** St. Francis **

Manhattan Cup (B)

I see this as a clear two-horse race, but one of the horses looks like Seabiscuit coming it. Nichols will be really good this season, but if Cardinal O'Hara doesn't win it all with the squad they have this season, I'll be covering wrestling next year.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Just before playoff basketball begins in February, there's gonna be a Thrilla at Villa!

After an outstanding day for the Inaugural Centercourt Classic featuring a standing-room only crowd that witnessed the regular season's most thrilling contest between Williamsville South and Health Sciences, the event is back for a second season, and I've added a second day! This season's Centercourt Classic venue Villa Maria College, located in Cheektowaga.

Once again, the event is scheduled late in the season to serve as a bracket-buster of sorts. This year's lineup features six games played over two nights, and the quality of the teams participating should get you hoop-heads drooling! The Second Annual Centercourt Classic finale has two of WNY's finest programs facing off for the first time since 2012, when Canisius takes on Niagara Falls...and I've even invited the NFHS Pep Band!

Without question, a starter on any other team in WNY. An aggressive rebounder with a knack for staying with the play and finishing in the paint, Eziukwu's most impressive attribute was his work ethic. Not only did he willingly accept his role as Park's sixth man, he embraced it. Upon entering the game, you would immediately hear him talking on defense and notice a boost in the team's energy at that end due to his presence.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

A strong start at the defensive end for St. Francis that didn't yield a single field goal in the opening quarter helped the team jump out to a commanding 13-2 lead. The Red Raiders had four players finish in double figures and never trailed in the contest, despite competing without the services of senior Bo Sireika, who missed with an injury.

After going to halftime trailing by a score of 26-15, St. Joe's jumped right back into the game in the third quarter. Keith Norward scored 14 of his game-high 17 points in the frame for the Marauders to get his team within a bucket, 35-33. But Frannies got refocused at the defensive end for the stretch run and allowed just three scores from the field the rest of the way to advance to the Manhattan Cup semifinals. The Red Raiders will face the top seed from Canisius at the Canisius College Koessler Center at 6 pm on Friday night.

Following the game, St. Joe's head coach Mark Simon announced his retirement from coaching, following 18 seasons with the Marauders. During that time, Simon led St. Joe's to six Manhattan Cup Championship games, where his teams won four titles. In addition, Simon's teams won two CHSAA state championships. I quickly learned in my first season following the WNY HS hoops scene that Mark Simon was one of the good guys and have considered him a friend ever since. He has been a true gentleman and a class act throughout his 18 seasons & 307 victories, which rank fifth all-time among boys coaches in the Monsignor Martin Association.

The Vikings trailed CCA into the second quarter of Tuesday night's play-in game, before a 12-2 run to close the first half gave them the lead for good. Chris Stineman (team-high 18 points) and Aidan Horan (13 points) each scored five points in the second quarter, with Horan finding Stineman in the lane for a two-handed finish that resulted in a three-point play. Freshman Hugh Purks came off the bench to bang from the perimeter during the run, with Nichols knocking down three treys in the stanza.

The Vikings would add three more from downtown in the third quarter, two coming from Jonathan Goodloe, who finished with 13 points. Goodloe netted eight in the third frame, while Stineman scored nine. Nichols advances to face Cardinal O'Hara in the Manhattan Cup semifinals on Saturday night at the Canisius College Koessler Center, 6 pm.

Josh Tyson led the Crusaders with a game-high 19 points in the loss, while Ben Lekeneu scored 14 points and Zach Miller finished with 10 points.

Coming off a week that featured a three-part series of 'Game of the Week' because the biggest dogs in WNY were lining up to take swings at one another, I'm looking to wrap up the regular season with a small town battle that has big implications. Insert Newfane at Wilson.

Over the years, these two have given gymnasiums packed from wall-to-wall deep in Northern Niagara County, some of the most exciting games a two-dollar ticket can offer. There have been several sold out games between the Panthers & Lakemen, and the gatherings between these two communities that are all too familiar with each other always result in creative parking spots, narrowed fire exits, and extra game supervision. It's a night the JV teams get a taste of a varsity atmosphere. It's what high school basketball is all about. It's the rivalry that spawned my love of high school basketball.

With no disrespect meant to any teams or remaining matchups this week, I'll boil down where I see the Niagara-Orleans League race heading into this game. Medina & Newfane are tied for first place with two losses apiece. Wilson has three losses and sits in second place. I think Medina wins its two remaining games and Newfane enters its final game at Wilson having kept pace with Medina and needing a win to force a tie for the league title. I don't think Wilson has a real shot at a share of the league title because I don't see Medina losing another game, but they could certainly play spoiler to Newfane! Ultimately, Thursday should be a chance for Newfane to earn a co-championship with Medina (even though its two losses came at the hands of Medina).

Newfane pounded Wilson in the first meeting this year, but I don't see the rematch as a foregone conclusion. Wilson is more than capable of beating the Panthers, just ask Medina. Both of Medina's losses came at the hands of Wilson. You can spin the first loss to the Lakemen any way you like, but Wilson's second win over the Mustangs just happened last Tuesday. Maybe a bad matchup for Medina. Or maybe Wilson is just that good when they're healthy and inspired to play. Thursday's game can't help but inspire the Lakemen to win. The Zipp Gym at Wilson is a big facility and a great place to see a game when it's packed, which it will be for this one. Wilson will have a rowdy crowd behind them, with a chance to devastate their rivals. And Medina, who the Lakemen put in this position, is sure to be there in force, passionately rooting on the Wilson squad that clipped them twice.

A long-standing rivalry game with league championship implications played in front of a full house to end the regular season. It's a light night on the overall hoops schedule in WNY, so maybe it will even draw some casual fans craving an excellent atmosphere and some passionate play on the hardwood. This game will have it, and it's a great way to conclude 'Game of the Week' for the 2018 season.

Sunday, January 28, 2018

(Health Sciences' game at South on Saturday will be the hottest 'Ticket' in town)

Monday, January 29th

Medina @ CSAT - 6 pm

Niagara Catholic @ St. Francis - 6:30 pm

Tuesday, January 30th

Iroquois @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

East @ McKinley - 6:30 pm

South Park @ Middle College - 6:30 pm

Franklinville @ Ellicottville - 7:30 pm

West Seneca West @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

Amherst @ Williamsville East - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

Wednesday, January 31st

Cardinal O'Hara @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Canisius @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

Thursday, February 1st

Lancaster @ Clarence - 6 pm

Newfane @ I-Prep - 6:30 pm

Lackawanna @ Depew - 7:30 pm

Friday, February 2nd

Timon @ Park - 6:30 pm

Amherst @ Sweet Home - 6:30 pm

North Tonawanda @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

McKinley @ South Park - 6:30 pm

City Honors - Riverside - 6:30 pm

St. Francis @ Canisius - 7 pm

Olean @ Dunkirk - 7:30 pm

Iroquois @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Fredonia @ Chautauqua Lake - 7:30 pm

Gowanda @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

Saturday, February 3rd

Centercourt Classic at Williamsville South HS

Medina vs. Franklinville - 12 pm

Newfane vs. Ellicottville - 2 pm

St. Mary's vs. East - 4 pm

Williamsville South vs. Health Sciences - 6 pm

* Game of the Week - Health Sciences @ Williamsville South on Saturday, February 3rd

For several years, I considered trying to arrange an event similar to the ones that fill up the calendar in December, but I wanted the concept to be a little different. Nothing ground breaking, just a lineup of games with matchups that were intriguing for different reasons. Well, heading into Saturday's Centercourt Classic, I love the four games that are being played, but the event's headliner is downright special.

Health Sciences against Williamsville South. Davonte Gaines against Greg Dolan. I could stop right there and say 'See you Saturday'.

Dolan has put together a four-career at Williamsville South will have him mentioned among the very best to ever take the court in WNY. As a freshman he led the Billies to the Far West Regional in Class A. He was a First Team All-Centercourt selection as a sophomore after advancing South to Glens Falls. Last season, his Billies spent time as the #1 ranked team in the area. This year, he's been downright filthy with the things he does on the court and the numbers that accompany those performances, like 29.5 ppg and a season-high 47. Once again, he has his team piling up wins and regarded among the best teams in this area.

Gaines is in his third varsity season at Health Sciences and his accolades there during that span are eye-popping. As a sophomore, I remember watching 'The Ticket' & the Falcons play at Park, and it was glaringly obvious he was a future big time player that night, watching him shine against a bevy of talent on that Pioneers' team that included Jordan Nwora & Noah Hutchins. After a junior season that saw Gaines take his game to another level, he took his team to the next level as well. Health Sciences, just as South did the year prior, advanced to the state final four. Then came the offseason and the offer he was waiting for, which he accepted - Tennessee! His senior year has already produced the best numbers all the way around - a pair of quadruple-doubles and a WNY game season-high 52 points.

The Billies & Falcons are two teams that can really defend and their points allowed per game combined is under 100, but they can fill it up too. Both teams are very comfortable playing fast and that's exactly what I think we're going to see. Fast in a good basketball kind of way, not out of control. One thing I'm very confident predicting about this game is entertainment. Look for some fun in the open court and a high scoring affair. If you've never watched Dolan or Gaines, this is your chance...and you're in for a treat.

See you on Saturday for a great afternoon of basketball during the Centercourt Classic at Williamsville South High School. I would come as early as possible to get a seat and enjoy all four games. You will not want be on the outside during this special presentation of 'The Game of the Week' !

Timon and St. Francis are long-time rivals in the Monsignor Martin and are each in the top seven of the Large School Poll. St. Francis beat Williamsville South this year, who beat Timon. That alone makes it the game to be at this week. But this season, there's a little something extra making this one a highly intriguing contest....

The Juice is loose - in South Buffalo!

Last season, St. Francis swept The Park School and made it all the way to the Manhattan Cup Final, its first appearance since the 2007 season. The Red Raiders had a special team, led by a pair of underclassmen - Bo Sireika & Julian "Juice" Cunningham. Sireika is back for his senior season. Cunningham, who was a sophomore in 2017, did not return to St. Francis. Instead, he dawned Timon Green and is now the straw that stirs the drink for the rival Tigers. Cunningham spent two seasons as the starting floor general for St. Francis beginning his freshman year. He and Sireika had formed quite the one-two punch and had me making trips to Frannies, with pit stops at Hoak's last year.

Now, Cunningham's slick passes are heading into the paint at Timon, where Master Radford is waiting to finish them off with force at the rim. Meanwhile, junior Justin Poumpey has taken the reins over at the maestro for the Red Raiders and has delivered beyond expectations. St. Francis remains a top WNY team this season and the ball still moves like a thing of beauty for Brian Ferris' crew.

Both Timon and St. Francis have four new starters taking the court from last year's versions, but desire to knock each other off will be nothing new once this Friday matinee tips. Rivalries run deep in the MMA and these two haven't been spotted kissing or making up anywhere in the last few months. I couldn't bear to watch that anyway. Game of the Week, South Buffalo-style. Be there!

Was there even a question of which of the games out of this week's lineup would get the nod?

In 2015, both teams won Federation championships in Class A & Class B respectively. Those followed CHSAA state championships, which followed each team winning the Manhattan Cup. The two teams remain the only ones from WNY to win NYS high school basketball's highest honor in the last six years.

Following the two Monsignor Martin Association powers winning the Federation over the same weekend in Albany in 2015, Park was moved up in classification to compete in Class A. The implications of the move were that now they would have to go head-to-head twice during the regular season and compete in the same playoffs for the Manhattan Cup.

During the 2016 regular season, Canisius swept the two games against Park. The first was a victory on the Pioneers' home floor, accomplished with a strong second half, after falling behind by double figures in the second quarter. The second meeting of the regular season was a low-scoring defensive affair that favored the Crusaders style of play. After both teams advanced to the Manhattan Cup Final, the Pioneers had a chance at redemption, but it was Canisius who won for a third time in an epic overtime title game. The Crusaders would go on to win two more games and secure a second straight CHSAA Class A state championship. Canisius and Park finished the 2016 season ranked and regarded by everybody as the top two teams in WNY. The leaders and First Team All-Centercourt selections from each team landed in the Division I ranks - the Crusaders' Stafford Trueheart to Hofstra and Park's Jordan Nwora to Louisville.

Last season, Park finally had the Crusaders' number, and it wasn't even close. A 26-point pounding on Delaware Avenue was followed by a 28-point rout a month later at Park and it looked as if it was finally the year when the Pioneers would hoist its first Manhattan Cup in Class A. But St. Francis dashed the hopes of Park with a victory in the Manhattan Cup semifinals, its third of the season over the Pioneers, before falling to Canisius in the final. So even in a season when Park swept Canisius by an average margin of 27 points, the Crusaders still finished with all the glory.

So now the rivalry resumes, and when you stop to consider it, very little has actually changed since they met last year. Park has everything back from last season except Joe Jones, along with a new head coach. Canisius graduated Colby Moultrie from last season's rotation. Aside from that, we basically have all the key pieces back. However, don't expect a rout to be the result this season. Expect to see a pair of heavyweights beat on each other for 32 minutes. It's Park versus Canisius and it's the 'Game of the Week'!

Well, the New Year is not off to the best start with cancellations and a less-than-spectacular lineup of games this week to begin 2018. However, I always begin this post each year at this time and there's still a game being played this week that's worthy of the title 'Game of the Week'. So here's a list of what I think are the top games to follow in this shortened week (And don't get too excited for Friday's lineup, I'm sure they all all get cancelled because it's winter):

Wednesday, January 3rd

Kenmore West @ North Tonawanda - 6:30 pm

St. Francis @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

Maritime @ Burgard - 6:30 pm

Olmsted @ I-Prep - 6:30 pm

Timon @ Canisius - 7 pm

St. Mary's @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

Frontier @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Thursday, January 4th

Cheektowaga @ South Park - 6 pm

Orchard Park @ West Seneca West - 6:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

Lancaster @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm

Dunkirk @ Olean - 7:30 pm

Randolph @ Silver Creek - 7:30 pm

Friday, January 5th

Williamsville South @ Williamsville East - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Grand Island - 6:30 pm

Lockport @ CSAT - 6:30 pm

Burgard @ East - 6:30 pm

City Honors @ Olmsted - 6:30 pm

Kenmore West @ Lew-Port - 7 pm

St. Joe's @ Niagara Catholic - 7:30 pm

Lake Shore @ Maryvale - 7:30 pm

Saturday, January 6th

Williamsville North @ Sweet Home - 2 pm

St. Joe's @ Park - 5 pm

Newfane @ Clarence - 6 pm

Tapestry @ Randolph - 7:30 pm

United Way Showcase at Jamestown HS

Southwestern vs. Frewsburg - 12:30 pm

Silver Creek vs. Sherman - 2:15 pm

Maple Grove vs. BASCS - 4 pm

Chautauqua Lake vs. Oracle - 5:45 pm

Jamestown vs. Fredonia - 7:30 pm

* Game of the Week * - St. Mary's @ Niagara Catholic on Wednesday, January 3rd

The Lancers of St. Mary's entered this season as the defending Manhattan Cup champions in Class B. Yet coming into this season, I have found myself having to remind people of that on multiple occasions. When talking with area hoop-heads about a preseason top 10 in the small school ranks or who was the favorite to win the league & Cup, it was as if St. Mary's was just another team in the mix because they always are, rather than the highly regarded team they deserved to be.

When the first local small school poll of the season came out, St. Mary's was #6 in WNY, behind a team at #5 that didn't reach the final last season and welcomed five new starters - Niagara Catholic, who already had a loss to defending Class D champion Franklinville. When the first state rankings of the season came out one day later, the Lancers were unranked, while Niagara Catholic sat at #19 in NYS Class B.

It's not like the Lancers graduated several key contributors from last year's squad, but rather they brought back five players who saw time in their rotation, including a 2017 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention selection in Christian Szablewski. They were a group that I had slept on entering last year with a young, unproven rotation, but came into this year very high on.

On the other hand, Niagara Catholic became what I've called an overnight sensation, reminiscent of the power that Park became in 2014 - its first season in the MMA and one year before winning the NYS Class B Federation championship. Another 2017 All-Centercourt Honorable Mention selection, Jalen Bradberry, left Niagara Wheatfield after starting there as an 8th grader and enrolled at Niagara Catholic, instantly raising their stock. But he wasn't the only new addition. Three other starters for the Patriots are new additions this season and friends of Bradberry, while Jaemon Turner took a big step forward after seeing some minutes at Niagara Catholic as a freshman.

Since the first rankings came out, both teams are unbeaten. The Lancers ended up leapfrogging Niagara Catholic in both the state and local poll, perhaps on the strength of a season-opening victory over Lancaster. They also won the Depew & Five Guys Tournaments, which included a victory over Williamsville North. Niagara Catholic scored a victory over Class AA Clarence and also traveled out of state to win a tournament.

So what this game offers is a lot of contrast and even more talent. St. Mary's is the veteran team with four seniors in its starting lineup and believes this is their year. Niagara Catholic starts five underclassmen, none of who started last year for the Patriots, and four are new to the program. The Patriots believe they are embarking on something special and are eager to earn a statement win that backs up where the polls had them in early December and where they see themselves. What a way to tip-off the 2018 Monsignor Martin schedule - the defending champion visiting the serious young contender who many already view as the favorite. Sounds like 'Game of the Week' material to me.

Sunday, December 03, 2017

(Williamsville East wins 40th Annual Rotary Club of Lockport Tournament)

Williamsville East 69, St. Joe's 61

Following several years of competition in the annual Rotary Club of Lockport Tournament to open the season, the Flames finally have some hardware to bring back to Williamsville. Behind a strong team performance with plenty of ball movement, some sharp shooting, and a big third quarter, Williamsville East improved to 2-0 and has reason to believe there's plenty more victories to be expected in the coming months.

Cal Shifflet was named Tournament MVP following his team-high 20 points, a consistent performance throughout on a combination of shooting, drives, and good old fashioned hard work in the paint. Cameron Williams added 12 points and was named to the All-Tournament Team, while Brian Comerford turned in a gritty effort at both ends and scored 11 points.

Shifflet's traditional three-point play with 15 seconds left in the first half answered six straight points scored by St. Joe's and gave the Flames a 30-28 lead at halftime. Patrick Ranallo banged a pair of triples to get the second half rolling for the Flames, who opened on a 14-3 run coming out of the break to take a 44-31 lead midway through the third quarter. After the Marauders cut the deficit to 44-37 with six straight points, Williamsville East closed the third stanza off with another burst, this time a 10-1 run, good for a 54-38 lead through three quarters.

"We talk about being selfless all the time," Flames coach RJ Killinger said. "I told them on any given night, anyone could have double figures and that's shown the last two nights here. We've got guys that hustle, we've got guys willing to do the dirty work, and we're an excellent shooting team...as long as we're passing the ball."

St. Joe's didn't fold and certainly made things interesting down the stretch, knocking down four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Jeremy Johnson drilled back-to-back triples as part of a 10-0 stretch for St. Joe's that cut the Flames' lead to 57-51 midway through the fourth quarter. After a score from Williamsville East's Comerford, Jack Capen stuck his fourth long-range bomb of the game to make it 59-54. However, Comerford came right back with his own trey, and the Marauders could never get any closer.

Capen was outstanding in the game and kept the Marauders afloat in the first half, scoring 22 of his team's 28 points. The senior leader at St. Joe's finished the contest with both a game and tournament high 33 points.

A competitive first game became extra in the final quarter. After five lead changes through the first three quarters that mostly saw the Lions holding an advantage, back-and-forth things went in the final stanza. Seven lead changes over the game's final eight minutes had fans on the edge of their seats and they were rewarded with a great ending. Tied at 51-51, Lockport had one final possession to try keeping the contest from an extra session and delivered.

Devon Darrell, who led his team with 15 points, held the ball as the seconds ticked off the clock. As the final numbers ticked away, he made his move, coming off a screen and finding Torree Cheatom who had slipped into the right corner. Cheatom let a 3-pointer fly and buried it as time expired.

"We wanted the last shot with a chance to rebound with five seconds to go," Lockport coach Dave Gilson said. "Torree came through when we needed him to."

Luke Lawrence turned in a solid performance for Lockport, putting in work in the paint and finishing with 13 points. Devin Leatherman added 12 points in the win for the Lions and was given the hustle award following the tournament for the energy and defense he brought over the last two nights.

Daniel Santiago led the Presidents with a team-high 15 points, while Alex Pagan added 10 points in the loss.